Antonia Gordiana
| Part of a series on Roman imperial dynasties |
| Year of the Six Emperors |
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| AD 238 |
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Antonia Gordiana (born 201) was a prominent, wealthy, and noble Roman woman who lived in the troubled and unstable 3rd century.[1] She was the daughter of Roman emperor Gordian I, sister of Roman emperor Gordian II, and mother of Roman emperor Gordian III.[2] [3] The Augustan History names her as Maecia Faustina; however, modern historians dismiss this name as false.[4] She was most probably born in Rome. Along with her elder brother, she was raised and spent her childhood in the house that Roman Republican general Pompey had built in Rome. Previous owners included Roman triumvir Mark Antony and Roman emperor Tiberius.
After 214, Gordiana married a Roman senator whose name is unknown. The Augustan History names her husband as Junius Balbus, however modern historians dismiss this name as being incorrect. She bore her husband a son on 20 January 225, the future emperor Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius, or Gordian III. The birth name and birthplace of Gordian III are unknown, the name of Gordian was assumed by Gordiana's son when he became emperor. Gordiana's husband died before 238.
After the brief reigns of her father and brother, the Roman Senate in April appointed two senators, Balbinus and Pupienus, as joint emperors. During their brief reign, Gordiana's son became popular with Roman citizens and the joint emperors were forced to adopt the child as their heir. On 29 July 238, Balbinus and Pupienus were both murdered by the Praetorian Guard; later that day her son became the new emperor. There is a possibility that Gordiana might have bribed the Guards to murder the joint emperors, so that her son could become emperor.[citation needed ]
To maintain the goodwill of the Senate, Gordian III assumed the name of his maternal grandfather and uncle. The political factions that supported Gordiana's father and brother also supported her son. Through them, she was able to assist her son in directing affairs and together they sought to reform policies covering administration, fiscal affairs, and the Roman army. Efforts were made to limit the taxes on wealthy and notable Romans. Attention was directed to strengthening defences along the empire's borders and Roman governors were prosecuted if they abused Roman taxes and their powers in governing the provinces.
In 241, her son appointed the able and efficient Timesitheus as prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Later, in May of that year, Gordian married Timesitheus’ daughter Tranquillina, who became Roman empress. Timesitheus died in 243, and Gordian appointed the ambitious Philip the Arab as the new prefect. In February 244, Gordian died of unknown causes. Gordian either died in battle or was possibly murdered on the orders of Philip. Philip was then proclaimed the new emperor. Gordian III's wife and daughter survived him. The fate of Gordiana after her son's death is unknown.
Family tree
[edit ]Maximinus Thrax
Roman Emperor
235–238 Pupienus
Roman Emperor
238
Gordian I
Roman Emperor
238
∞ (?) Fabia Orestilla
Roman Emperor
238
Gordian II
co-emperor
238 Antonia Gordiana (doubted)
Junius Licinius Balbus
consul suffectus Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus
praetorian prefect next
Philip the Arab
Roman Emperor
244–249
Nerva–Antonine family tree
[edit ]Nerva–Antonine family tree
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Q. Marcius Barea Soranus Q. Marcius Barea Sura Antonia Furnilla M. Cocceius Nerva Sergia Plautilla P. Aelius Hadrianus
Titus
(r. 79–81) Marcia Furnilla Marcia Trajanus Pater Nerva (r. 96–98) Ulpia [i] Aelius Hadrianus Marullinus Flavia[ii] Marciana [iii] C. Salonius Matidius [iv] Trajan
(r. 98–117) Plotina P. Acilius Attianus P. Aelius Afer [v] Paulina Major [vi] C. Fuscus Salinator I Julia Serviana Paulina
L. Ceionius Commodus Appia Severa C. Fuscus Salinator II
L. Caesennius Paetus Arria Antonina Arria Fadilla[xv] T. Aurelius Fulvus
M. Annius Verus [xiii] Calvisia Domitia Lucilla [xvii] Fundania[xviii] M. Annius Libo [xiii] Faustina [xv] Antoninus Pius
(r. 138–161)[xv] L. Aelius Caesar [xvi] Avidia [xvi] Cornificia [xiii] Marcus Aurelius
(r. 161–180)[xix] Faustina Minor [xix] C. Avidius Cassius [xx] [clarification needed ] Aurelia Fadilla[xv] Lucius Verus (r. 161–169)[xvi] (1) Ceionia Fabia [xvi] Plautius Quintillus [xxi] Q. Servilius Pudens Ceionia Plautia [xvi] Cornificia Minor [xxii] M. Petronius Sura Commodus
(r. 177–192)[xix] Fadilla [xxii] M. Annius Verus Caesar [xix] Ti. Claudius Pompeianus (2) Lucilla [xix] M. Plautius Quintillus [xvi] Junius Licinius Balbus Servilia Ceionia Petronius Antoninus L. Aurelius Agaclytus (2) Aurelia Sabina [xxii] L. Antistius Burrus (1) Plautius Quintillus Plautia Servilla C. Furius Sabinus Timesitheus Antonia Gordiana Junius Licinius Balbus?
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| Notes:
Except where otherwise noted, the notes below indicate that an individual's parentage is as shown in the above family tree.
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References:
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References
[edit ]- ^ Verhaart, Floris (2022年07月03日). "Jean-Baptiste Du Bos and the Réflexions critiques sur la poésie et sur la peinture within the context of contemporary philology and antiquarianism". Intellectual History Review. 32 (3): 411–428. doi:10.1080/17496977.2022.2097401 .
- ^ D’Amato, Raffaele (2020年01月23日). Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers (2): AD 192–500. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-3650-2.
- ^ Navarra, James (2018年08月17日). A Compendium of the Earth, and of the People of the Earth, and of the Wars They Fought. Balboa Press. ISBN 978-1-9822-0990-2.
- ^ Syme, Ronald (1971). Emperors and Biography: Studies in the 'Historia Augusta'. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814357-4.