The Sestertius was Brass and made in very large quantities they were minted during the republic. The value of a Denarius was 4 Sestertius or 10 asses. Very few survived in high quality due to the earth’s chemicals & chemicals we put on the earth.

  

ROMAN EMPIRE
Gordian I Africanus (AD238)
Praetorian governor of Lower Britain in 220-222
AE Sestertius (21.60gm)
IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AFR AVG
laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian 
P M TR P COS P P  S—C,
Emperor, laureate and togate, standing left, holding branch and parazonium.
RIC 7. BMCRE 4. Cohen 3

Excessively Rare in this incredible condition. This brass Sestertius which depicts Gordian I. it is breathtaking. Gordian was a magistrate and held the rank of praetorian governor of Lower Britain in 220-222 and became Caesar who only ruled Rome for 3 weeks in 238AD. Gordian I was Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus Africanus, the emperor known to history as Gordian I. It is highly possible to think that he may have accompanied Caracalla on his expedition to the east in 216/17 and that he held his consulship shortly after that (possibly under Elagabalus). He also governed the province of Achaia, and had a daughter, about whom we know nothing for certain other than that she had a son who became the emperor Gordian III.

Little is reliably known about the life of Gordian I before he was proclaimed emperor. The future emperor Gordian I was born around the year 159 and he came from a well-to-do family the family received Roman citizenship in the late republic from Mark Antony. The unusual cognomen Gordianus suggests a family origin in Asia Minor, especially Galatia and Cappadocia. Gordian was the father of at least two children: a son, Gordian II, who would be proclaimed emperor with his father; and a daughter, whose own son would become the emperor Gordian III.His political career was late and characteristic of an individual not born into the senatorial elite, which would indicate that Gordian had not yet risen to the consulship even though he was already in his late 50s. He did eventually serve as a suffect consul, probably under Elagabalus, while Gordian was in his early 60s. Gordian may also have served as governor of Syria Coele or commander of the Legio IV Scythica stationed near Antioch, and as praetorian governor of Achaea.

Capelianus who was the governor  of the neighbouring province of Numidia hated Gordian because of an earlier legal dispute, and Capelianus had a large number of troops at his disposal. Upon learning of Gordian's proclamation as emperor, Capelianus gathered his soldiers together, renewed their loyalty to Maximinus, and marched on Carthage. Gordian's son,Gordian II, was made commander of a group of miserable forces (including volunteers among the residents of Carthage) which were available to defend the city. The Carthaginians were no match, however, for the experienced troops under the command of Capelianus. Gordian, the son of Gordian died in the ensuing battle; Carthage was captured; and the elder Gordian committed suicide, reportedly by hanging himself with his belt. Gordian's reign lasted all but three weeks.

When the news of this disaster of Gordian and Gordian II reached Rome, the Senate proclaimed a pair of elderly members of the board of twenty, Pupienus and Balbinus, as rulers in his place. This led to a riot, sparked by friends of the deceased Gordian, and Gordian's thirteen-year old grandson was proclaimed as Caesar to Pupienus and Balbinus. The selection is remarkable in that Pupienus had two mature sons (both had already been a consul), and suggests clearly that there was a lack of organization amongst the opponents of Maximinus since the ready explanation for the choice of the young Gordian as Caesar is that a Gordian's associates were trying to secure their interests by promoting the interests of his family against those of others. Gordian's death, however, did not end the senate's desire to rid themselves of Maximnus Thrax. The revolt continued in Rome, Marcus Antonius Gordianus, and Gordian III Reigned 238-244 AD The Emperor Gordian III. was born in 225 AD and died 244 AD The relationship of Gordian III is that he was the grandson of Gordian I proclaimed Caesar.

By the end of 238, Gordian III was universally recognized as sole emperor of the Roman world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_I

 

 

 

GORDIAN I 

 

 

 

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