A descendant of the Gordian dynasty.

II. Nephew of Grodianus. He was the victim of an assassination attempt.

CAESAR MARCVS ANTONIVS GORDIANVS AVGVSTVS

III. Emperor Gordian ruled the Roman Empire from 238 to 244. During his reign, the empire was in serious crisis, and the emperor had to face many challenges, including the expansion of the Sassanid empire. Accordingly, his coinage primarily emphasized the emperor's military successes and the stability of the empire. On the Antoninians, Gordianus was often depicted as a fighting emperor, holding weapons and shield. The reverse shows the symbols of the empire, such as the eagle or the Roman bull. Gordianus' coinage reflects the financial crisis of the empire. The weight and silver content of the Antoninian coins continued to decrease, which resulted in currency deterioration. Some examples III. Coinage of Gordian: Antoninian (silver): Gordian as a fighting emperor, the eagle on the reverse. Dupondius (copper): Gordian as a fighting emperor, the Roman bull on the reverse. Sestertius (copper): Gordian as a fighting emperor, the Temple of Vesta on the reverse. Coinage of Gordian an important source for learning about this period of Roman history. It reflects both the military successes of the emperor, the stability of the empire and the financial crisis.