TheNewYorkSaleauctionXL

1245

Severus Alexander. Silver Denarius, AD 222-235. Rome, AD 226. IMP C M AVR SEV ALEXAND AVG,

laureate and draped bust of Severus Alexander right. Rev. LIBERALITAS AVG III, Liberalitas standing

facing, head left, holding abacus and cornucopiae. (RIC 154; BMC 309-11; RSC 128a).

NGC grade Choice

mint state.

$ 300

High Quality Gordian IAfricanus Silver Denarius

1246

Gordian I Africanus. Silver Denarius (3.49 g), AD 238. Rome. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG,

laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian I right. Rev. SECVR-ITAS AVGG, Securitas seated left,

holding scepter. (RIC 5; BMC 11; RSC 10).

Rare.

Toned over residual luster. Extremely fine.

$ 4,500

Discontent with the rule of Maximinus I, who was viewed as a barbarian by Rome’s elite and was generally hated otherwise

due to heavy taxation to finance his military operations against the Germans and Sarmatians, led to three serious revolts. The

first two were ruthlessly suppressed. The third started in Africa, where wealthy landowners revolted against the heavy financial

burdens imposed by a corrupt local treasury official who was using false judgments for extortion. The landowners equipped

their clients and farmhands with whatever weapons were at hand, slew the offending treasury official and his bodyguard, then

proclaimed the aging governor, Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus, and his son as co-emperors. The Senate in Rome

quickly backed the cause of the African landowners, affirming the elevation of Gordian I and Gordian II as co-emperors.

Upon hearing the news of the revolt, Maximinus, who was wintering in Sirmium, prepared his armies and marched on Rome.

The reign of the Gordiani was short-lived, lasting at most a mere 36 days. Capellianus, the governor of neighboring Numidia,

controlled the only legion in the area and nursed a long-standing grudge against the Gordiani. He assembled his troops, the veteran

legio III Augusta, and marched on Carthage where he easily overwhelmed the ragtag forces of the Gordiani. Gordian II was killed

in the fighting, and on hearing the news of his son’s death and the annihilation of the local levies, the elder Gordian hanged himself.