Thrace. Anchialos. Gordian III with Tranquillina AD 238-244.
Bronze Æ

29 mm, 14,04 g

AVT K M ANT ΓOPΔIANOC AVΓ CEB TPANKVΛΛINA, draped busts of Gordian, laureate and cuirassed, and Tranquillina, wearing stephane, facing one another / OVΛΠIANΩN AΓXIAΛEΩN, Homonoia standing left, holding patera and cornucopia.

Very Fine

AMNG I, 675; cf. Varbanov 715.

Gordian III and Tranquillina were a married couple during the Roman Empire. Gordian III served as the Roman Emperor from 238 to 244 AD. Tranquillina was his wife. Gordian III became emperor at a young age after the death of his predecessor, Emperor Alexander Severus. His reign was marked by military campaigns against the Sassanian Empire in the east and Germanic tribes in the west. Tranquillina was the daughter of Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus, who served as the praetorian prefect (the commander of the imperial bodyguard) under Gordian III. Timesitheus played a crucial role in the early years of Gordian's reign, providing guidance and stability to the young emperor. Gordian III and Tranquillina's marriage likely occurred during Gordian's reign. However, historical records are not entirely clear on the details of their relationship. Unfortunately, Gordian III's reign was cut short when he died under mysterious circumstances in 244 AD, possibly as a result of a plot within the imperial court. After Gordian's death, Tranquillina's fate becomes less well-documented. Some historical sources suggest that she may have married the subsequent emperor, Philip the Arab, while others suggest that she faced a tragic end, possibly being executed. The details are somewhat obscure, and historical accounts from this period can be incomplete or contradictory.