Editing Gordian I (section)

==Family and background==
Gordian I was said to be related to prominent senators of his time.{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=340}} His praenomen and nomen ''Marcus Antonius'' suggested that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under the [[triumvir]] [[Mark Antony]], or one of his daughters, during the late [[Roman Republic]].{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=340}}  Gordian's cognomen ‘Gordianus’ also indicates that his family origins were from [[Anatolia]], more specifically [[Galatia]] or [[Cappadocia]].<ref>Peuch, Bernadette, "Orateurs et sophistes grecs dans les inscriptions d'époque impériale", (2002), pg. 128</ref>

According to the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', his mother was a Roman woman called Ulpia Gordiana and his father was the senator Maecius Marullus.<ref name="Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 2:2"/> 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 name ''Sempronianus'' in his name, for instance, may indicate a connection to his mother or grandmother. In [[Ankara]], Turkey, a funeral inscription has been found that names a ''Sempronia Romana'', daughter of a named ''Sempronius Aquila'' (an imperial secretary).{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=340}} Romana erected this undated funeral inscription to her husband (whose name is lost), who died as a [[praetor]]-designate.{{sfn|Meckler|2001}}

French historian [[Christian 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), ''Secretarius [[ab epistulis]] Graecis'', and wife Claudia (b. ca 120), daughter of an unknown father and his wife [[Claudia Tisamenis]] (b. ca 100), sister of [[Herodes Atticus]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> 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.{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=340}} But the late [[Anthony Birley|Antony Birley]] stated that the question remains open.{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=341}}

Also according to the ''Historia'', the wife of Gordian I was a Roman woman called [[Fabia Orestilla]],<ref name="Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 17:4" /> born circa 165, whom the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'' claims was a descendant of emperors [[Antoninus Pius]] and [[Marcus Aurelius]] through her father Fulvus Antoninus.<ref name="Historia Augusta, The Three Gordians, 17:4" /><ref name="KRA">{{cite book |last=Krawczuk |first=Aleksander |author-link=Aleksander Krawczuk |title=Poczet cesarzowych Rzymu |publisher=Iskry |year=1998 |location=Warszawa |isbn=83-244-0021-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qC-ZAAAACAAJ |pages=147 |access-date=7 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172702/https://books.google.com/books?id=qC-ZAAAACAAJ |archive-date=7 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Modern historians have dismissed this name and her information as false.{{sfn|Meckler|2001}}

With his wife, Gordian I had at least two children: a son of the same name<ref>Historia Augusta, ''The Three Gordians'', 17:1</ref> and a daughter, [[Maecia Faustina]] (who was the mother of the future Emperor [[Gordian III]]).<ref>Historia Augusta, ''The Three Gordians'', 4:2</ref> His wife died before 238 AD. Christian Settipani identified her parents as Marcus Annius Severus, who was a Suffect [[Roman consul|Consul]], and his wife Silvana, born circa 140 AD, who was the daughter of [[Lucius Plautius Lamia Silvanus]] and his wife Aurelia Fadilla, the daughter of Antoninus Pius and wife Annia Galeria Faustina or [[Faustina the Elder]].<ref name="ReferenceA" />