Gordiānus Marcus Antonius African us

, a son of Metius Mar cell us, descended from Trajan by his mother’s side. In the greatest affluence, he cultivated learning, and was an example of piety and virtue. He applied himself to the study of poetry, and composed a poem in 30 books upon the virtues of Titus, Ant on in us, and Marcus Aurelius. He was such an advocate for good breeding and politene , that he never sat down in the presence of his father-in-law Annius Severus, who paid him daily visits, before he was promoted to the pretorship. He was some time after elected consul, and went to take the government of Africa in the capacity of proconsul. After he had attained his 80th year in the greatest splendour and domestic tranquillity, he was roused from his peaceful occupations by the tyrannical reign of the Maximin i, and he was proclaimed emperor by the rebellious troops of his province. He long declined to accept the imperial purple, but the threats of immediate death gained his compliance. Maximin us marched against him with the greatest indignation; and Gordian sent his son, with whom he shared the imperial dignity, to oppose the enemy. Young Gordian was killed; and the father, worn out with age, and grown desperate on account of his misfortunes, strangled himself at Carthage, before he had been six weeks at the head of the empire, A.D. 236. He was universally lamented by the army and people.――Marcus Ant on in us African us, son of Gordianus, was instructed by Serenus Sammoticus, who left him his library, which consisted of 62,000 volumes. His enlightened understanding, and his peaceful disposition, recommended him to the favour of the emperor Helio gab alus. He was made prefect of Rome, and afterwards consul, by the emperor Alexander Severus. He pa ed into Africa, in the character of lieutenant to his father, who had obtained that province; and seven years after he was elected emperor, in conjunction with him. He marched against the partisans of Maximin us, his antagonist in Mauri tan i a, and was killed in a bloody battle on the 25th of June, A.D. 236, after a reign of about six weeks. He was of an amiable disposition, but he has been justly blamed by his biographers on account of his lascivious propensities, which reduced him to the weakne and infirmities of old age, though he was but in his 46th year at the time of his death.――Marcus Ant on in us Pius, grandson to the first Gordian, was but 12 years old when he was honoured with the title of Cæsar. He was proclaimed emperor in the 16th year of his age, and his election was attended with universal marks of approbation. In the 18th year of his age, he married Furia Sabina Tranquil in a daughter of Mis i the us, a man celebrated for his ♦ eloquence and public virtues. Mis i the us was entrusted with the most important offices of the state by his son-in-law, and his administration proved how deserving he was of the confidence and affection of his imperial master. He corrected the various abuses which prevailed in the state, and restored the ancient discipline among the soldiers. By his prudence and political sagacity, all the chief towns in the empire were stored with provisions, which could maintain the emperor and a large army during 15 days upon any emergency. Gordian was not le active than his father-in-law; and when Sapor the king of Persia had invaded the Roman provinces in the east, he boldly marched to meet him, and in his way defeated a large body of Goths, in Mœsia. He conquered Sapor, and took many flourishing cities in the east from his adversary. In this succe the senate decreed him a triumph, and saluted Mis i the us as the guardian of the republic. Gordian was a a inated in the east, A.D. 244, by the means of Philip, who had succeeded to the virtuous Mis i the us, and who usurped the sovereign power by murdering a warlike and amiable prince. The senate, sensible of his merit, honoured him with a most splendid funeral on the confines of Persia, and ordered that the descendants of the Gordians should ever be free, at Rome, from all the heavy taxes and burdens of the state. During the reign of Gordianus, there was an uncommon eclipse of the sun, in which the stars appeared in the middle of the day. ♦ ‘eloqence’ replaced with ‘eloquence’