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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Drusus, post: 425956, member: 6370&quot;]I think its one of the more interesting times, pivotal even. Maximinus is an intriguing story, he never set foot in Rome during his rule, he spent all his time fighting. With the death of Severus Alexander and the rise of the somewhat obscure soldiers soldier, Maximinus, the Thracian, barbarian, consummate soldier...you see the real switch over from the principate which had been faltering for some time, and the final switch over with power resting almost completely in the military. Rome had always been about the military, even more so now, the senate was weak, the military was getting to the stage they no longer felt the need to even pretend to care what the senate might want. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Balbinus and Pupienus were killed by their men, they had been the senatorial class attempt at taking imperial power, it failed...the military could use Gordian (13 years old) for his name and as a figurehead. Eventually more and more men like Maximinus stepped up willing to rule, like Maximinus they did not need the senates approval, even for show, nor did they need a figurehead...the empire became spoils of civil war, few men gained the office without fighting for it and almost all emperors were generals. Because there were constant threats to the empire from outside, they were fighting and the army wanted an emperor that could fight...and because there was always someone else who wanted the office and there was never any real rules to who became emperor next, they were fighting within the ranks all the time.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I think Gordian was an attempt at keeping the appearance of a principate while in reality it was a compromise that allowed the senate to retain its say in civil affairs while the military did as they saw fit, all behind the scenes with the face and name of a Gordian to give to the people....instead of a so called barbarian.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>But I dont think a young kid of 13, regardless of his name, could have asserted authority in this environment. He owed his position to greater powers. I think maybe as he approached his twentieth birthday, he might have thought he could, and maybe thats why he died and a guy named Philip the Arab took power <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> Pedigree gave way to military creditials...the army wanted an emperor they could relate to, not a spoiled prince.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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