Gordian I was said to be related to prominent senators of his time.[7] His praenomen and nomenMarcus Antonius suggested that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under thetriumvirMark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the lateRoman Republic.[7] Gordian's cognomen ‘Gordianus’ also indicates that his family origins were fromAnatolia, more specificallyGalatia orCappadocia.[8]
According to theHistoria Augusta, his mother was a Roman woman called Ulpia Gordiana and his father was the senator Maecius Marullus.[5] While modern historians have dismissed his father's name as false, there may be some truth behind the identity of his mother. Gordian's family history can be guessed through inscriptions. The nameSempronianus in his name, for instance, may indicate a connection to his mother or grandmother. InAnkara, Turkey, a funeral inscription has been found that names aSempronia Romana, daughter of a namedSempronius Aquila (an imperial secretary).[7] Romana erected this undated funeral inscription to her husband (whose name is lost), who died as apraetor-designate.[9]
French historianChristian Settipani has conjectured that Gordian I's parents were Marcus Antonius (b. ca 135),tr. pl.,praet. des., and wife Sempronia Romana (b. ca 140), daughter of Titus Flavius Sempronius Aquila (b. ca 115),Secretariusab epistulis Graecis, and wife Claudia (b. ca 120), daughter of an unknown father and his wifeClaudia Tisamenis (b. ca 100), sister ofHerodes Atticus.[6] It appears in this family tree that the person who was related to Herodes Atticus was Gordian I's mother or grandmother and not his wife.[7] But the lateAntony Birley stated that the question remains open.[10]
Also according to theHistoria, the wife of Gordian I was a Roman woman calledFabia Orestilla,[2] born circa 165, whom theHistoria Augusta claims was a descendant of emperorsAntoninus Pius andMarcus Aurelius through her father Fulvus Antoninus.[2][11] Modern historians have dismissed this name and her information as false.[9]
With his wife, Gordian I had at least two children: a son of the same name[12] and a daughter,Maecia Faustina (who was the mother of the future EmperorGordian III).[13] His wife died before 238 AD. Christian Settipani identified her parents as Marcus Annius Severus, who was a SuffectConsul, and his wife Silvana, born circa 140 AD, who was the daughter ofLucius Plautius Lamia Silvanus and his wife Aurelia Fadilla, the daughter of Antoninus Pius and wife Annia Galeria Faustina orFaustina the Elder.[6]
Gordian steadily climbed the Roman imperial hierarchy when he became part of theRoman Senate. His political career started relatively late in his life[9] and his early years were probably spent in rhetoric and literary studies.[7][7] As a military man, Gordian commanded theLegio IV Scythica when the legion was stationed inSyria.[7] He served as governor ofRoman Britain in 216 AD and was a suffect consul sometime during the reign ofElagabalus.[9] Inscriptions in Roman Britain bearing his name were partially erased suggesting some form of imperial displeasure during this role.[14]
While he gained unbounded popularity on account of the magnificent games and shows he produced asaedile,[15] his prudent and retired life did not excite the suspicion ofCaracalla, in whose honor he wrote a long epic poem called "Antoninias".[16][17][18] Gordian certainly retained his wealth and political clout during the chaotic times of the Severan dynasty which suggests a personal dislike for intrigue.Philostratus dedicated his workLives of the Sophists to either him or his son, Gordian II.[19]
Maximinus was not a popular emperor and universal discontent increased due to his oppressive rule.[26] It culminated in a revolt in Africa in 238 AD (the exact month is unknown).[27] After Maximinus' fiscal curator was murdered in a riot, people turned to Gordian and demanded that he accept the dangerous honor of the imperial throne.[3] Gordian, who was about 80 years according toHerodian, eventually yielded to the popular clamour and assumed both the purple and thecognomen "Africanus".[23]
An iniquitous sentence had been pronounced against some opulent youths of [Africa], the execution of which would have stripped them of far the greater part of their patrimony. (...) A respite of three days, obtained with difficulty from the rapacious treasurer, was employed in collecting from their estates a great number of slaves and peasants blindly devoted to the commands of their lords and armed with the rustic weapons of clubs and axes. The leaders of the conspiracy, as they were admitted to the audience of the procurator, stabbed him with the daggers concealed under their garments, and, by the assistance of their tumultuary train, seized on the little town ofThysdrus, and erected the standard of rebellion against the sovereign of the Roman empire. (...) Gordianus, their proconsul, and the object of their choice [as emperor], refused, with unfeigned reluctance, the dangerous honour, and begged with tears that they should suffer him to terminate in peace a long and innocent life, without staining his feeble age with civil blood. Their menaces compelled him to accept the Imperial purple, his only refuge indeed against the jealous cruelty of Maximin (...).[28]
Due to his advanced age, he insisted that his son be associated with him. A few days later, Gordian entered the city ofCarthage with the overwhelming support of the population and local political leaders.[29] Gordian I sentassassins to kill Maximinus'praetorian prefect,Publius Aelius Vitalianus,[30] and the rebellion seemed to be successful.[31] Gordian, in the meantime, had sent an embassy to Rome, under the leadership ofPublius Licinius Valerianus,[32] to obtain the Senate's support for his rebellion.[31] The Senate confirmed the new emperor and many of the provinces gladly sided with Gordian.[33] This event is sometimes dated to 2 April, but this is only based on a passage of theHistoria Augusta, nowadays considered highly unreliable, that told about an eclipse presaging the imminent fall of the Gordians.[1]
Opposition came from the neighboring province ofNumidia.[3]Capelianus, governor of Numidia and a loyal supporter of Maximinus Thrax, held a grudge against Gordian[33] and invaded the African province with the only legion stationed in the region,IIIAugusta, and other veteran units.[34] Gordian II, at the head of a militia army of untrained soldiers, lost theBattle of Carthage and was killed,[33] and Gordian I killed himself by hanging himself with his belt.[35] The Gordians had ruled only 22 days, the 2ndshortest reign of any Roman emperor behindQuintillus who ruled for 17 days during the crisis of the 3rd century.[36][37][38] Gordian I was the first emperor to commit suicide sinceOtho in 69 during theYear of the Four Emperors.
Gordian's positive reputation can be attributed to his reportedly amiable character. Both he and his son were said to be fond of literature, even publishing their own voluminous works.[28] While they were strongly interested in intellectual pursuits, they possessed neither the necessary skills nor resources to be considered able statesmen or powerful rulers. Having embraced the cause of Gordian, the Senate was obliged to continue the revolt against Maximinus following Gordian's death, appointingPupienus andBalbinus as joint emperors.[39] Nevertheless, by the end of 238, the recognised emperor would be Gordian III, Gordian I's grandson.[39]
^The traditional identification ofthis portrait as Gordian I is uncertain; if correct, it was probably created about a decade before his accession to the throne. See K. Fittschen & P. Zanker (1985).Katalog der römischen Porträts in den Capitolinischen Museen und den anderen kommunalen Sammlungen der Stadt Rom I: Kaiser- und Prinzenbildnisse, Mainz: Philipp von Zabern, pp. 123–124, no. 104, for a summary of opinions on the date and identification.
^Herodian, 7:4. "After Maximinus had completed three years as emperor [after 22 March 238], the people of Africa first took up arms and touched off a serious revolt for one of those trivial reasons which often prove fatal to a tyrant."
^D'Epiro, Peter (2010).The Book of Firsts: 150 World-Changing People and Events, from Caesar Augustus to the Internet. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.ISBN978-030-747-666-1.
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