Gordian I, 238. Denarius (Silver, 20.5 mm, 3.20 g, 7 h), Rome, 1-22 April, 238. IMP M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian I to right. Rev. P M TR P COS P P Emperor, togate, standing left, holding a laurel branch in his right hand and a parazonium with his left. BMC 1. Cohen 2. RIC 1. With a splendid, sharply-struck portrait. Extremely fine.

As is well-known, the Senate and the Roman aristocracy hated and despised Maximinus I; this led to an elaborate plot to replace him as emperor by one of their own, the aristocratic and now elderly Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus, who was then living in Carthage as the proconsular governor of Africa Proconsularis. Known to history as Gordian I (his son, of the same name, became Gordian II and served as the military commander), initially all went well. However, Capellianus, who was the governor of neighbouring Numidia and hated the Gordians, took the Legio III Augusta - the only regular force in the area - and marched on Carthage. He defeated and killed Gordian II in battle; Gordian I then committed suicide (soon after, with the final destruction of Maximinus, Capellianus disappears from the record). Since the Gordians only ruled for 22 days, and were in Africa, it is intriguing that the mint in Rome was able to produce a quite considerable coinage bearing realistic portraits. This must mean that the revolt was only the culmination of a long-planned conspiracy, and that coins were designed and minted in secret so that donatives could be made as soon as the new emperors had been proclaimed. When the news arrived of the revolt's suppression in Africa the vast majority of the coins were restruck.