Français – عربي – ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ – English
In the Third Century, the Roman Empire entered the longest period of instability in its history: an era known as the Military Anarchy, marked by conflicts between rival military officers vying for power. In only a few decades, about thirty contenders for the imperial throne rose and fell. In the year 238, often regarded as the peak of the crisis, six emperors succeeded one another within a single year! Three of them, although not of African origin, maintained close ties with Africa and ruled from Carthage.
Context
In the year 235, Severus Alexander, the last emperor of the Severan dynasty, a dynasty of African origin, was assassinated by his troops. His death marked the beginning of the political breakdown. The army chose Maximinus, an officer of Thracian origin, as the new emperor. The Senate confirmed this choice with hesitation because Maximinus came from a modest background and was the first emperor who did not belong to the Roman elite. To consolidate his authority, Maximinus began by eliminating the officials loyal to his predecessor.
Africa Rises in Revolt
Maximinus quickly became very unpopular. In the year 238, a large uprising broke out in Roman Africa, so widespread that landowners even armed their agricultural workers. The rebels marched into Thysdrus, known today as El Jem, where they killed a Roman officer stationed in the city, then proclaimed Gordian, the proconsul of Africa, Emperor in place of Maximinus. Gordian, who was eighty years old, initially refused because of his age, but eventually accepted on the condition that his son, who had previously served as his legate in Thysdrus, would rule with him as co-emperor. They reigned together under the names Gordian I and Gordian II, and they adopted the honorific title Africanus.
A few days later, Gordian entered Carthage with the support of the population and the local authorities. He sent envoys to the Roman Senate, which recognized him as emperor instead of Maximinus.
However, Capelianus, the governor of Numidia, who held a personal grievance against Gordian because of a legal dispute, allied himself with Maximinus and invaded Africa. Gordian II confronted him near Carthage, but he was defeated and killed. Gordian then committed suicide by hanging himself with his belt. The two co-emperors ruled for only twenty-two days.
Aftermath
The failure of the rebellion in Africa placed the Senate in a precarious position. Maximinus was marching toward Rome to reclaim his throne, and the senators knew they could expect no mercy from him after having supported his rival. They therefore selected two senators, Pupienus and Balbinus, as co-Emperors. These two men came from aristocratic families, but the people of Rome despised them and expressed their hostility by throwing stones and sticks at the Imperial procession. Under popular pressure, they summoned Gordian III, the grandson of Gordian I and the nephew of Gordian II, to rule alongside them.
While Maximinus was advancing toward Rome, he laid siege to the city of Aquileia. During the siege, his troops, who lere lacking food, mutinied and killed him. Shortly afterward, Pupienus and Balbinus were assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. Gordian III, the last surviving emperor, became the sole ruler.
Gordian III became the youngest Emperor in Roman history, ruling at the age of only thirteen. His youth made his reign fragile. He is believed to have commissioned the construction of the amphitheatre of Thysdrus, today known as El Jem, which remains the largest and best-preserved monument in Roman Africa. In the year 240, Sabinianus, the governor of Roman Africa, rebelled against him and proclaimed himself emperor in Carthage, but he was defeated by the governor of Mauretania.
Gordian III died in the year 244 during a battle against the Persians. His successor, Philip the Arab, who reigned from 244 to 249, succeeded in restoring a certain degree of stability to the Empire, although the crisis resumed after his death.
