Image Gallery
Gordian III (Artistic Facial Reconstruction)
Gordian III (r. 238-244 CE) was appointed as Roman emperor at the age of 13, making him the youngest sole emperor in Rome’s history. He was more popular than his immediate predecessors and was advised by Timesitheus, the capable prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Gordian III’s army was stretched thin by the Sassanian Empire and the Goths, but both were held at bay by Timesitheus. After Timesitheus died in 243 CE, Gordian III was advised by Philip the Arab (r. 244-249 CE), an ambitious man who soon realized he stood a chance at becoming emperor. Given the choice between Philip and the teenaged Gordian III, the Roman army chose to follow the more experienced man and executed Gordian in 244 CE.
Pictured alongside the reconstruction is a bust of Gordian III from the Vatican Museum.
