Gordian III - The Youngest Emperor #29 Roman History Documentary Series

[@KAZVorpal]

The year should be in the title. That would make looking through the playlist SO much more informative.

[@septimiusseverus343]

As a bittersweet postscript, there is a (unconfirmed) reference that Gordian may have had a posthumous daughter by his young bride, named Furia Antonia, born in 244 AD.

[@revanius2213]

All things considered Gordian III got the last laugh out of the other five Emperors in the Year of the Six Emperors, he lasted six years on the throne as a child ruler, lasting longer than the giant soldier emperor Maximinus Thrax, his senior relatives Gordian I and Goridan II, and two Emperors who were senior members of the senate, all men who could be considered qualified and he lasted longer than all of them combined. He also ruled longer and was older than Elagabalus.

[@harryjackson3867]

Looking forward to you’re video on Gallienus!

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Me too! I really enjoy doing my research on Gallienus. He was definitely on of the best emperors imo!

[@_Channel-ce4vq]

Underrated emperor

[@TheDONing1]

@@TheSPQRHistorian definitely, shame how the earlier historians slandered him.

[@septimiusseverus343]

The Steadfast.

[@causantinthescot]

@@TheSPQRHistorian *GALLIENVS, The First would be AVRELIAN

[@matheus.bueno47]

I love your videos man, I hope you keep making this series. I love the narration, the use of actual sources from the time, the historiography talk. The narrative is also very fun, clear and keeps me engaged.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thanks Matheus, glad you like them! - They'll keep coming

[@TetsuShima]

Senator 1#: "I'm not sure if having a child rule a giant empire is a good idea" Senator 2#: "Of course it is! Right, Caesar?" Gordian III: "Caesar? What it is? Some kind of salad?" Senators: "F*ck..."

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

The Senate no longer has any real power, they still ratify the position, but entirely dependent on the armies choice... rip the old republic

[@Sulla-ps3jv]

Gordian III: Severus Alexander Part Two

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Pretty much, a young puppet Emperor

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@TheSPQRHistorian for the First part of the Life,yes, but After,not.. alexander severus was underrated

[@kaloarepo288]

The name "Gordian" probably implies his family background was from Gordium the capital of Phrygia (Central Turkey) and that is where Alexander the Great cut the Gordian knot instead of untying it -to fulfill a prophecy that said that whoever undid this knot from a horse and cart would conquer Asia.The local authorities wisely for them agreed that cutting it was within the intention of the prophecy!

[@ProbusVerus]

Loving your videos! I guess sometimes you need just a share of luck to even have the chance of proving yourself in this world.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

So true, especially during the third century!

[@thehunter9430]

I'm loving this channel, great work. I'm obsessed with ancient Rome.

[@optimusprinceps3526]

"Father I shall avenge you !"

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Gordian III did disband Legio III Augusta to avenge his grandfather and uncle(Gordian I & II). However, It was later reinstated by Gallienus. But I guess he did avenge them...kind of...?

[@dariusghodsi2570]

Gordian III definately died at battle, theres also persian source on this

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

I guess vicious rumors are alaways gonna circulate towards the person who 'benefited' - in this case Philip

[@rommelrivera1186]

Youngest Roman emperor ever to rule the unified empire. I recently got a "Gordy" sestertius coin with his image, and I've grown fond of it. I value it more than any of the other Caesars'.

[@Eazy-ERyder]

I love these. Keep it up! I want to save the REST of your Roman Emperor videos!

[@asheland_numismatics]

Great videos here. Top notch!

[@aramgregorian4935]

First the video says Gordian III was 10 during the year he became emperor, then 13… looks like there is a contradiction that needs to be explained

[@nishensemble]

These are incredible.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thank you, I'll keep them coming

[@worldofmix6766]

Gordian III died in a battle hence there are rock carvings of Shapur stepping on Gordian with his horse and capturing Valerian by his hand and Also Philip the Arab is kneeling in front of him

[@sonidoo5908]

I'm waiting for the video on Aurelian 😍 keep making more of these please.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

I'll keep 'em coming don't worry

[@theicepickthatkilledtrotsk658]

When a child emperor was still somewhat of a rarity in Rome.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

But just like most child emperors, he seems to have been dominated by a commander

[@theicepickthatkilledtrotsk658]

@@TheSPQRHistorian I know, but just the optics of the heads of state so often being children in the late Western Empire are not very good. Didn't even the author of Historia Agusta complain about it?

[@beanshady]

Great video series and look forward to the next one! 🙂

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thanks! More to come!

[@rfkwouldvebeenaok1008]

Will you be doing this series into the Eastern Roman Empire as well?

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yes, I plan to go all the way to 1453

[@Liquidsback]

@@TheSPQRHistorian Alright, 10 years till the Last Constantine.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yeah pretty much, we'll see though... There are so many small and unknown Emperors. I might do a highlight reel instead, but I think it's really interessting going in chronological order. But I also want to redo the Julio-Claudian videos; making them with more detail and depth. So many ideas, so little time

[@michaeldunne338]

The Sassanid Persians wrote in stone what they said happened to Gordian III at Naqsh-e Rustam, in Greek, Persian and Parthian I believe. One translation: "When at first we had become established in the empire, Gordian Caesar raised in all of the Roman Empire a force from the Goth and German realms and marched on Babylonia [Assyria] (Asuristan) against the Empire of Iran and against us. On the border of Babylonia at Misikhe, a great 'frontal'battle occurred. Gordian Caesar 4. was killed and the Roman force was destroyed. And the Romans made Philip Caesar. Then Philip Caesar came to us for terms, and to ransom their lives, gave us 500,000 denars, and became tributary to us. And for this reason we have renamed Misikhe Peroz-Shapur. "

[@Anakunus]

Wait, what? "He was only 10 years old at the time - clearly too young to rule the empire." ...And yet, only 99 days later, he was suddenly 13 years old? That doesn't make sense.

[@idipped2521]

I would assume he died in battle against the Persians. From the way Philip the Arab handled his death it seems there was no plot

[@robbabcock_]

Awesome video!

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thanks Rob, glad you enjoyed it!

[@starkillerdude1914]

0:46 Roman Mike: Walter .....put your fake roman emperor away Walter......I'm not murdering another roman emperor right now

[@causantinthescot]

What a shame that he died in a battle despite his competence had been developing.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yeah who knows what he could've turned into: a Commodus or a Gallienus? Sad that he had to die so young

[@causantinthescot]

@@TheSPQRHistorian Most likely a Gallienus.

[@mism847]

Perhaps we would’ve been talking about Gordian the Great by now?

[@causantinthescot]

@@mism847 Not yet, but my opinion on him was similar to Bryon Waldson's.

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@causantinthescot what bryon says?

[@ramtin5152]

Shapur I changed the battle tactics of the Iranian army into more effective one in case of fighting Roman armies and was fighting an opponent that had battle equipments equal to his men if not better and armies that surpassed his own, in numbers Before he became king, he fought in his father's army in conquest of the Parthian empire at the battle of Hormozdgan and also in his father's raids in the Roman territories and at the battle of Ctesiphon 233 (and probably in the clash between two Roman and Sassanid armies before that which was also a Sassanid victory) all which were successful for the Sassanids After he became Shahanshah, he defeated 3 Roman emperors and even captured one of them personally and probably even killed one according to the Sassanid sources Based on one of the Sassanid tablets, Gordian III died in a Sassanid ambush at the battle of Misiche Each Roman army had between 60,000-70,000 men Although the only information we have about Shapur's numbers is at the battle of Edessa in which he had 40,000 men It's probably safe to assume Romans were outnumbering Shapur 2-1 in his battles He won the battle of Misiche (60,000 Romans), battle of Barbalissos (60,000 Romans), battle of Edessa (70,000 Romans) and plundered 36 Roman cities which the two most known and famous ones are siege of Antioch 253 and siege of Dura Europos 256 After his clash with Odaenathus, Shapur raided eastern parts of Odaenathus kingdom and even won against him at the battle of Ctesiphon 263

[@TetsuShima]

Alexander the Great: "I already conquered most of the known World when I was 30" Gordian III: "HA! I ALREADY RULED MOST OF THE KNOWN WORLD WHEN I WAS 19. WHAT A LOSER!!!" 🤣🤣🤣

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

I bet lil' Gordian wished he had some of Alexanders talent for warfare though - he would've made short work of the Sassanids

[@Sulla-ps3jv]

Great Conqueror vs Useless Puppet…

[@rashnuofthegoldenscales4512]

@@TheSPQRHistorian Alexander would have been crushed and made into a pelt for the feet of the Sasanian King of Kings 🤡

[@causantinthescot]

GIGACHAD ALEXANDER III MAGNVS MAXIMVS* *Magnus Maximus literally means The Greatest Conqueror, not The Best, The Greatest lol

[@CeliaZA]

What about Sposianus?

[@youvebeengreeked]

*IX...*

[@causantinthescot]

VI or XX because the former was GALLIENVS, and the latter was pure gold: A Lad whose name was Constantine...

[@youvebeengreeked]

@@causantinthescot I'm counting down...

[@causantinthescot]

@@youvebeengreeked Oh sorry I don't know what it means...

[@youvebeengreeked]

@@causantinthescot we'll get there, don't worry.

[@pwmiles56]

This is great, but the pronunciation is a bit off. Maximinus should not be "Maxi-minus" but have the same short "i" in both places. "Ae" is always "ee" like in Caesar. and so on.

[@rashnuofthegoldenscales4512]

Another emperor made into roadkill by the Sasanians :-)

[@alessandrogini5283]

Another?

[@rashnuofthegoldenscales4512]

@@alessandrogini5283 Correct. Another.

[@alessandrogini5283]

@@rashnuofthegoldenscales4512 the name of the others?

[@rashnuofthegoldenscales4512]

@@alessandrogini5283 Julian the Apostate at Samarra. Valerian taken prisoner after Edessa. Philip the Arab rendered a tributary to pay off an indemnity. Carus killed in battle but redacted as "struck by lightning" in Roman sources.

[@Hilversumborn]

Honestly, he was nothing more than a puppet.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Yeah pretty much, he was so young. He never really got a chance to rule himself.

[@optimusprinceps3526]

Like that Alzheimer's ridden, International Weakling and Laughingstock counterfeit in Washington DC in 2022

[@dariusghodsi2570]

@@TheSPQRHistorian He was 19, thats old enough by some standard

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

@@dariusghodsi2570 Yeah when he died, but he had already 'ruled' for 6 years before that

[@gordijancirovic26]

Im the only person that has this name in my country

[@MCorpReview]

Haha they juz kill d irs 😂

[@TonyFontaine1988]

You're doing a great thing! Don't give up

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Thank you, I will!