Renewed War with the Sasanians

CNG 90, Lot: 1661. Estimate $500. Sold for $800. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Gordian III. AD 238-244. Æ Medallion (25mm, 10.60 g, 1h). Rome mint. Special emission, early-mid AD 241. IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / PONTIFEX MAX TR P IIII, COS II P P in exergue, Gordian, holding scepter and branch, being crowned by Victory from behind, riding left in quadriga; soldier to left leading horses. Gnecchi III 64 corr. (bust type); Grueber 171; Tocchi –; Dressel 125; Toynbee –. VF, green-brown patina, minor roughness. Rare.

From the Bruce R. Brace Collection.

AD 241 was a critical year in the war between Rome and the empire of the Sasanians. Early that year Ardashir I, who had been pressing warfare against the Romans for the previous decade, died and was succeeded by his son and co-regent, Shahpur I. Shahpur immediately went on the attack, sweeping north to take the Roman-held towns of Nisibis and Carrhae, thereby once again threatening the provinces of Syria and Armenia; the city of Hatra also fell, a significant blow for Roman fortunes, because it was the home base of her easternmost legions. Rome, still unnerved by the abortive attempt at revolt the previous year by Sabinianus, needed the reassurance of a capable adult, rather than an adolescent emperor to lead a renewed war in the East. In AD 241, Timesitheus was appointed praefectus praetorio. A responsible and prominent individual with a long history of loyal imperial service, his new position was strengthened with the marriage of his daughter Tranquillina to the young emperor. Timesitheus soon set about putting things to rights. After reestablishing imperial control over Africa, he began organizing an expedition against the Sasanians, at which time this medallion was struck. Initially, all his planning produced Roman successes. In AD 243, as a result of their victory at Resaena, the Romans retook Nisibis, Cahrrae, and Hatra, and pushed Shahpur back to where he had started. The Roman victory was short-lived, however; that same year, Timesitheus died. In his place, Gordian appointed Marcus Julius Philippus. Within a year, Gordian would be dead, and Philip, now as emperor, would conclude a perceived ignominious peace with Shahpur.