Middle Roman Empire, Military Anarchy: 29 Gordian-I , 30 Gordian II, 31 Balbinus, 32 Pupienus; Maximinus-I’s Civil War [2/12]

29 *GORDIAN-I (u; Africa; c.79; r.238.03-04)

30 *GORDIAN II (u; Africa; c.46; r.238.03-04)

31 *BALBINUS (u; Rome; c.60; r.238.04-07)

32 *PUPIENUS (u; Rome; 68/73; r.238.04-07)

Maximinus’ Civil War (238), [2/12]

Early 238 in Africa Proconsularis, a treasury official’s extortions provoked a full-scale revolt. Landowners entered Thysdrus (=El Djem, northeast Tunisia), where they murdered the official and proclaimed the governor of province, ¹⁴Antonius Gordianus (Gordian-1; c.60; r.238.04-07), and his son, ¹⁵Antonius Gordianus (Gordian II; c.46; r.238.03-04), said to be descendants of the Gracchi and Trajan, as co-emperors.

Capelianus, governor of the neighbouring province of Numidia, remained loyal to Maximinus and took his forces into Proconsularis to suppress them. On 12 April, only twenty-two days after the rebellion had broken out, the younger Gordian was defeated and killed in battle outside Carthage. The elder Gordian took his own life shortly afterwards.

When news of this reached Rome, the Senate set up two of its twenty-man commission, Caelius Calvinus (Balbinus: 60/73; fl.213-238) and ⁰⁴Clodius Pupienus (Pupienus; 68/73; fl.207-238) , as joint emperors. Maximinus set out with his son Julius (37) Verus Maximus (18/21; fl.236-238), now caesar, from Pannonia and marched on Italy. At the end of March they came to the strongly defended city of Aquileia. The siege dragged on and Maximinus’ troops, disheartened with the lack of progress, murdered the emperor and his son.  When the people and the praetorians agitated in favour of the elder Gordian’s thirteen-year-old grandson, ¹⁶Antonius Gordianus (18; fl.238-244), the Senate recognized the boy as caesar, conceding that he would succeed the senatorial emperors. Balbinus and Pupienus failed to win over the praetorians, who killed them in July and declared Gordian emperor.