Middle Roman Empire, Military Anarchy (235-284): 33 Gordian III Pius; Goths and Carpi, Gordian III’s Sassanid War, [2/9]

33 GORDIAN III PIUS (19; r.238-244)

In 240 a revolt broke out in Africa under the leadership of Marcus Asinius Sabinianus, the governor of Africa Proconsularis, but Faltonius Restitutianus (53+; 240-253+), the governor of  Mauretania Caesariensis, crushed it so severely that all those involved came to Carthage and sought pardon for it.

Until now, as Gordian was underage, the administration of the government was still in the hands of the Senate, but in 241 he married Tranquillina (19+; fl.241-244+), daughter of ¹⁰Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus (53; fl.241-243) who became praetorian prefect and virtual ruler of the Empire.

Goths and Carpi

Towards the end of Severus’ reign the Goths had pillaged the Greek towns of Olbia and Tyras in Ukraine. At this time there were at  least two groups of Goths, Tervingi and Greuthungi.

In 238 Goths, together with Dacian Carpi, crossed the lower Danube into Moesia Inferior and attacked the city of Histria at the mouth of the Danube (eastern Romania). The procurator of the province, ⁰⁶Tullius Menophilus (238-241), seems to have made a treaty and paid subsidies to the Goths but not to the Carpi who not unsurprisingly were greatly offended.

Gordian III’s Sassanid War (243), [2/9]

In 241 Ardashir renewed hostilities but died the following year to be succeeded by his son Shapur-I (r.241-272), who captured Nisibis and Carrhae and advanced into Syria. In spring 243 Timesitheus recovered Mesopotamia, wrested Osroene from Sassanid control and restored the pro-Roman Abgar XI (r.242*244) as its ruler. After the Battle of Resaena on the upper Araxes (Aras) River, the Sassanids were forced to retreat southwards but at this high point in the war Timesitheus died (probably of disease).

Gordian and the praetorian prefect ⁴⁰Julius Philippus (c.45; fl.234-249), the future emperor Philip-I the Arab, carried out the original plan and marched to Ctesiphon. What happened next is unclear: Persian sources say that Gordian was defeated and killed in the Battle of Misiche (probably not far from Ctesiphon), but Roman sources suggest that he died elsewhere. The troops proclaimed Philip emperor, and he concluded a peace with Shapur and returned to Rome, leaving his brother Gaius ⁴⁰Julius Priscus to govern Mesopotamia.