Obverse: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG;
Laureate, Draped, and Cuirassed Bust of the
Emperor Facing Right
Reverse: SECVRITAS PVBLICA; Securitas Seated to
the Left, Resting her Head on her Hand, Holding
a Scepter
Gordianus III, the thirteen-year old grandson of
Gordianus I was proclaimed emperor by the
Praetorian Guard after they murdered Balbinus
and Pupienus. Gordian appointed the wise and
good Timestheus as Praetorian Prefect. Under
the counsel of Timestheus, Gordian ruled well
and became quite popular. The Roman Empire
had peace and stability during his reign, which
was rare during the Third Century A.D. In 241,
the Persian King Ardashir died, and his son
Shapur immediately began making trouble for
Rome by invading Syria. The next year, Gordianus
and his army went to deal with Shapur and won
several victories in battle against the ruthless
Persian. Timestheus died of an illness in 243 and
Philip the Arab became Gordian's Praetorian
Prefect in his place. Philip was not the loyal
friend that Timesthius was, taking great pains to
make the soldiers dislike Gordianus by bringing
about a shortage of supplies and blaming it on
Gordianus' inexperience. On February 25, 244,
Gordianus was murdered while campaigning in
the East with the army by forces loyal to Philip.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or purse? What eras and lands have the
coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who might have touched the coin before us, or
where the coin will venture to after it leaves our
hands. More than money, coins are a symbol of
the state that struck them, of a specific time and
location, whether contemporary currencies or
artifacts of a long forgotten empire. This
stunning hand-struck coin reveals an expertise
of craftsmanship and intricate sculptural detail
that is often lacking in contemporary machine-
made currencies. This coin is a memorial to an
ancient emperor passed from the hands of
civilization to civilization, from generation to
generation that still appears as vibrant today as
the day it was struck.
