Editing Gordian I (section)

==Rise to power==
[[File:Gordian I Musei Capitolini MC475.jpg|thumb|left|Early 3rd-century portrait head on a modern bust, labeled as Gordian I in the [[Capitoline Museums]], [[Rome]]. The identification is uncertain.<ref>H. Stuart Jones (1912), [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofancie01britiala/page/207/ ''A Catalogue of the Ancient Sculptures Preserved in the Municipal Collections of Rome: The Sculptures of the Museo Capitolino''], p. 207, no. 64. "This head bears the traditional name of Gordian I. It is, however, too young for him, and is not like his coin-portraits."</ref><ref>The traditional identification of [[c:Category:Musei Capitolini MC 475 (Gordiano I)|this 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.</ref>]]
[[File:Tunis Bardo Buste 2.jpg|thumb|left|Bust of an emperor in the [[Bardo National Museum (Tunis)]] labeled as Gordian I. Some authors call him [[Decius]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=R. R. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ynlYCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA234 |title=The Last Statues of Antiquity |last2=Ward-Perkins |first2=Bryan |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-875332-2 |pages=234, note 8 |language=}}</ref>]]

During the reign of [[Alexander Severus]], Gordian I (who was by then in his late sixties), after serving his suffect consulship prior to 223, drew lots for the [[proconsul]]ar governorship of the province of [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa Proconsularis]]{{sfn|Meckler|2001}}<ref name=":1">[[Herodian]], 7:5</ref> which he assumed in 237.{{sfn|Birley|2005|p=333}}  However, prior to the commencement of his [[promagistrate|promagistrature]], Maximinus Thrax killed Alexander Severus at [[Mainz|Moguntiacum]] in [[Germania Inferior]] and assumed the throne.<ref>Potter, pg. 167</ref>

Maximinus was not a popular emperor and universal discontent increased due to his oppressive rule.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Cope|first=Geoffrey|title=Gordian I, 2, & 3 (238AD-244AD)}}</ref> It culminated in a revolt in Africa in 238 AD (the exact month is unknown).<ref>[[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."</ref> 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.{{sfn|Southern|p=86}} Gordian, who was about 80 years according to [[Herodian]], eventually yielded to the popular clamour and assumed both the purple and the ''[[Roman naming conventions|cognomen]]'' "Africanus".<ref name=":1"/>

According to [[Edward Gibbon]]:

<blockquote>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 of [[Thysdrus]], 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 (...).<ref name="ReferenceB">Gibbon, Vol. I, Ch. 7</ref></blockquote>

Due to his advanced age, he insisted that his son be associated with him. A few days later, Gordian entered the city of [[Carthage]] with the overwhelming support of the population and local political leaders.<ref>Herodian, 7:6:2</ref>  Gordian I sent [[Assassination|assassins]] to kill Maximinus' [[Praetorian Guard|praetorian prefect]], [[Publius Aelius Vitalianus]],<ref>{{Cite book|last=Laale|first=Hans Willer|title=Ephesus (Ephesos): An Abbreviated History from Androclus to Constantine X|publisher=WestBow Press|year=2011|isbn=978-144-971-618-9}}</ref> and the rebellion seemed to be successful.<ref name="Potter, pg. 169">Potter, pg. 169</ref> Gordian, in the meantime, had sent an embassy to Rome, under the leadership of [[Valerian (emperor)|Publius Licinius Valerianus]],<ref>Zosimus, 1:11</ref> to obtain the Senate's support for his rebellion.<ref name="Potter, pg. 169">Potter, pg. 169</ref>  The Senate confirmed the new emperor and many of the provinces gladly sided with Gordian.<ref name="Potter, pg. 170">Potter, pg. 170</ref> This event is sometimes dated to 2 April, but this is only based on a passage of the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', nowadays considered highly unreliable, that told about an eclipse presaging the imminent fall of the Gordians.<ref name=Rea/>

Opposition came from the neighboring province of [[Numidia]].{{sfn|Southern|p=86}} [[Capelianus]], governor of Numidia and a loyal supporter of Maximinus Thrax, held a grudge against Gordian<ref name="Potter, pg. 170">Potter, pg. 170</ref> and invaded the African province with the only legion stationed in the region, [[Legio III Augusta|III ''Augusta'']], and other veteran units.<ref>Herodian, 7.9.3</ref> Gordian II, at the head of a militia army of untrained soldiers, lost the [[Battle of Carthage (238)|Battle of Carthage]] and was killed,<ref name="Potter, pg. 170">Potter, pg. 170</ref> and Gordian I killed himself by hanging himself with his belt.<ref>{{Cite book|last=D'Epiro|first=Peter|title=The Book of Firsts: 150 World-Changing People and Events, from Caesar Augustus to the Internet|publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group|year=2010|isbn=978-030-747-666-1}}</ref> The Gordians had ruled only 22 days, the 2nd [[List of shortest-reigning monarchs|shortest reign]] of any Roman emperor behind [[Quintillus]] who ruled for 17 days during the crisis of the 3rd century.<ref>[[Filocalus]], ''[[Chronograph of 354]]'', [https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chronography_of_354_16_chronicle_of_the_city_of_rome.htm Part 16]: "The two Gordians ruled for 20 days. They died in Africa."</ref><ref>''[[Laterculus]] [[iarchive:chronicaminorasa00momm/page/436/mode/1up|Imperatorum Malalianus]]'' (7th century): "Gordian ruled 22 days; the other Gordian reigned 20 years" (a mistake for "20 days").</ref><ref>[[Symeon Logothete]] ({{Circa}} 970), [https://books.google.com/books?id=pZYWvAEACAAJ&pg=PA75 ''Chronographia''], [[CSHB]], 75. "[[Pupienus|Maximus]] and [[Balbinus]] ruled 22 days", actually the two Gordians. This is followed by [[Zonaras]] ({{Circa}} 1120) ''[[Epitome]]'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=lXGCAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT42 xvii.17]: "According to some they reigned about twenty-two days, but according to others not quite three months".</ref> Gordian I was the first emperor to commit suicide since [[Otho]] in 69 during the [[Year of the Four Emperors]].