88-1 ROME MILITARY ANARCHY Gordian dynasty

Gordian dynasty

Portrait	Name	Birth	Succession	Reign	Death	Time in office
	Maximinus I CAESAR GAIVS IVLIVS VERVSMAXIMINVSAVGVSTVS	c. 173 AD,Thrace orMoesia	Proclaimed emperor by German legions after the murder of Severus Alexander	March 20, 235 AD – June 238 AD	June 238 AD Assassinated byPraetorian Guard	3 years, 3 months
	Gordian I CAESAR MARCVS ANTONIVSGORDIANVSSEMPRONIANVS AFRICANVS AVGVSTVS	c. 159 AD,Phrygia?	Proclaimed emperor, whilst Pro-consul in Africa, during a revolt againstMaximinus. Ruled jointly with his sonGordian II, and in opposition to Maximinus. Technically a usurper, but retrospectively legitimised by the accession ofGordian III	March 22, 238 AD – April 12, 238 AD	April 238 AD Committed suicide upon hearing of the death of Gordian II.	21 days
	Gordian II CAESAR MARCVS ANTONIVSGORDIANVSSEMPRONIANVS ROMANVS AFRICANVS AVGVSTVS	c. 192 AD, ?	Proclaimed emperor, alongside fatherGordian I, in opposition toMaximinus by act of the Senate.	March 22, 238 AD – April 12, 238 AD	April 238 AD Killed during theBattle of Carthage, fighting a pro-Maximinus army	21 days
	Pupienus CAESAR MARCVS CLODIVSPVPIENVS MAXIMVSAVGVSTVS	c. 178 AD, ?	Proclaimed joint emperor withBalbinus by theSenate in opposition toMaximinus; later co-emperor with Balbinus.	April 22, 238 AD – July 29, 238 AD	July 29, 238 AD Assassinated by thePraetorian Guard	3 months and 7 days
	Balbinus CAESAR DECIMVS CAELIVS CALVINVSBALBINVS PIVS AVGVSTVS	?	Proclaimed joint emperor withPupienus by theSenate after death ofGordian I and II, in opposition toMaximinus; later co-emperor with Pupienus andGordian III	April 22, 238 AD – July 29, 238 AD	July 29, 238 AD Assassinated byPraetorian Guard	3 months and 7 days
	Gordian III CAESAR MARCVS ANTONIVSGORDIANVSAVGVSTVS	January 20, 225 AD,Rome	Proclaimed emperor by supporters ofGordian I and II, then by theSenate; joint emperor withPupienus andBalbinus until July 238 AD. Grandson of Gordian I	April 22, 238 AD – February 11, 244 AD	February 11, 244 AD Unknown; possibly murdered on orders of Philip I	5 years, 9 months and 20 days
	Philip I CAESAR MARCVS IVLIVS PHILIPPVSAVGVSTVS with Philip II	c. 204 AD,Shahba,Syria	Praetorian Prefect toGordian III, took power after his death; made his son Philip II co-emperor in summer 247 AD	February 244 AD – September/October 249 AD	September/October 249 AD Killed in battle against Trajan Decius, nearVerona	5 years
	Trajan Decius CAESAR GAIVS MESSIVS QVINTVSTRAIANVS DECIVSAVGVSTVS withHerennius Etruscus	c. 201 AD,Budalia,Pannonia Inferior	Governor underPhilip I; proclaimed emperor by Danubian legions and defeated Philip in battle; made his sonHerennius Etruscus co-emperor in early 251 AD	September/ October 249 AD – June 251 AD	June 251 AD Both killed in theBattle of Abrittusfighting against theGoths	2 years
	Hostilian CAESAR CAIVS VALENSHOSTILIANVSMESSIVS QVINTVS AVGVSTVS	Sirmium	Son of Trajan Decius, accepted as heir by theSenate	June 251 AD – late 251 AD	September/October 251 AD Natural causes (plague)	4–5 months
	Trebonianus Gallus CAESAR GAIVS VIBIVSTREBONIANVS GALLVSAVGVSTVS with Volusianus	206 AD,Italia	Governor ofMoesia Superior, proclaimed emperor by Danubian legions afterTrajan Decius's death (and in opposition toHostilian); made his sonVolusianus co-emperor in late 251 AD.	June 251 AD – August 253 AD	August 253 AD Assassinated by their own troops, in favour of Aemilian	2 years
	Aemilian CAESAR MARCVS AEMILIVSAEMILIANVSAVGVSTVS	c. 207 ADAfrica	Governor ofMoesia Superior, proclaimed emperor by Danubian legions after defeating theGoths; accepted as emperor after death of Gallus	August 253 AD – October 253 AD	September/October 253 AD Assassinated by his own troops, in favour of Valerian	2 months
	Valerian CAESAR PVBLIVS LICINIVSVALERIANVSAVGVSTVS	c. 195 AD	Governor ofNoricum andRaetia, proclaimed emperor by Rhine legions after death ofGallus; accepted as emperor after death ofAemilian	October 253 AD – 260 AD	After 260 AD Captured in Battle of Edessa againstPersians, died in captivity	7 years
	Gallienus CAESAR PVBLIVS LICINIVS EGNATIVSGALLIENVSAVGVSTVS with Saloninus	218 AD	Son of Valerian, made co-emperor in 253 AD; his sonSaloninus is very briefly co-emperor in c. July 260 before assassination by Postumus.	October 253 AD – September 268 AD	September 268 AD Murdered atAquileia by his own commanders.	15 years
	Claudius Gothicus CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVSCLAVDIVSAVGVSTVS	May 10, 213 AD/214 AD,Sirmium	Victorious general atBattle of Naissus, seized power afterGallienus's death	September 268 AD – January 270 AD	January 270 AD Natural causes (plague)	1 year, 4 months
	Quintillus CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVS CLAVDIVSQVINTILLVSAVGVSTVS	?, Sirmium	Brother ofClaudius Gothicus, seized power after his death	January 270 AD – 270 AD	270 AD Unclear; possibly suicide or murder	Unknown
	Aurelian CAESAR LVCIVS DOMITIVSAVRELIANVSAVGVSTVS	September 9, 214 AD/215 AD,Sirmium	Proclaimed emperor by Danubian legions afterClaudius II's death, in opposition toQuintillus	September(?) 270 AD – September 275 AD	September 275 AD Assassinated byPraetorian Guard	5 years
	Tacitus CAESAR MARCVS CLAVDIVSTACITVSAVGVSTVS	c. 200,Interamna Nahars,Italia	Elected by theSenate to replaceAurelian, after a shortinterregnum	September 25, 275 AD – June 276 AD	June 276 AD Natural causes (possibly assassinated)	9 months
	Florian CAESAR MARCVS ANNIVSFLORIANVSAVGVSTVS	?	Brother ofTacitus, elected by the army in the west to replace him	June 276 AD – September? 276 AD	September? 276 AD Assassinated by his own troops, in favour of Probus	3 months
	Probus CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVSPROBVSAVGVSTVS	232 AD,Sirmium	Governor of the eastern provinces, proclaimed emperor by Danubian legions in opposition toFlorian	September? 276 AD – September/ October 282 AD	September/ October 282 AD Assassinated by his own troops, in favour of Carus	6 years
	Carus CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVS CARVSAVGVSTVS	c. 230 AD,Narbo,Gallia Narbonensis	Praetorian Prefect toProbus; seized power either before or after Probus was murdered	September/ October 282 AD – late July/ early August 283 AD	Late July/early August 283 AD Natural causes? (Possibly killed by lightning)	10–11 months
	Numerian CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVS NVMERIVSNVMERIANVSAVGVSTVS	?	Son of Carus, succeeded him jointly with his brother Carinus	Late July/early August 283 AD – 284 AD?	284 AD Unclear; possibly assassinated	1 year
	Carinus CAESAR MARCVS AVRELIVSCARINVSAVGVSTVS	?	Son of Carus, succeeded him jointly with his brotherNumerian	Late July/early August 283 AD – 285 AD	285 AD Died in battle against Diocletian?	2 years