- Antonia Gordiana
Antonia Gordiana Sempronia (
201 - ?) was a prominent, wealthy and noble Roman woman that lived in the troubled and unstable3rd century . She was the daughter ofRoman Emperor Gordian I ; younger sister to Roman EmperorGordian II and mother to Roman EmperorGordian III . Gordiana’s mother maybe the granddaughter of Greek Sophist, consul and tutorHerodes Atticus .Augustan History names her as Maecia Faustina, however modern historians dismiss her name as false. She was most probably born in Rome. Along with her elder brother were raised and spent their childhoods in the house that Roman Republican GeneralPompey had built inRome . Previous owners included Roman TriumvirMark Antony and Roman EmperorTiberius .After
214 , Gordiana had married an unnamed Roman Senator. Augustan History names her husband as Junius Balbus, however modern historians dismiss his name as false. She has borne her husband two children: a son Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius (known as Gordian III) born January 20225 and a daughter calledGordiana . The birth name of Gordian III is unknown and his birthplace is unknown. The name of Gordian (as we know him) he assumed when he became Roman Emperor. Her husband had died before238 . Little is known about her marriage and the early years of her children.After the deaths of the brief reigns of her father and brother, the Roman Senate in April had appointed
Balbinus andPupienus as joint emperors. During the brief reign of Balbinus and Pupienus, her son became popular with Roman citizens and the joint emperors were forced to adopt her son as their heir. On July 29238 , Balbinus and Pupienus were both murdered by thePraetorian Guard and later that day her son became the new Roman Emperor. There is a possibility that Gordiana might have bribed the various Guards to murder the joint emperors, so that her son could become emperor.To keep in the favor of the
Roman Senate , Gordian III assumed the name of his maternal grandfather and maternal uncle. The political fractions that supported Gordiana’s father and brother, also supported her son. Through them, she was able assist her son in directing affairs and create reformed policies in administration, fiscal affairs and Roman Army. Effects were made to limit the charges against the Roman wealthy and notable. Attention was made to strengthen defences along the empire’s borders and Roman Governors were prosecuted if they abused Roman taxes and power of the provinces.In
241 , her son had appointed the able and efficient Timesitheus as prefect of thePraetorian Guard . Later in May of that year, Gordian marry Timesitheus’ daughterTranquillina . Tranquillina became a Roman Empress. Timesitheus died in243 and Gordian had appointed the ambitiousPhilip the Arab as the new prefect. In February244 , Gordian had died of unknown causes. Gordian either died in battle or was possibly murdered on the orders of Philip. However Philip, was proclaimed the new emperor. Gordian’s wife had survived him and he left no children. The fate of Gordiana after her son’s death is unknown.ources:
* Spanish version of Wikipedia
* http://www.roman-emperors.org/gordo1.htm
* http://www.roman-emperors.org/gordo3.htm
* http://www.fofweb.com/Onfiles/Ancient/AncientDetail.asp?iPin=AGRW0295
* http://gordianiiirpc.ancients.info/reign%20of%20gordian.html
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