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The Empress Tranquillina


She married the Emperor Gordian III in May of 241, her official name was Furia Sabinia Tranquillina Augusta; She was the daughter of the Praetorian Prefect Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus.
Like other empresses before her - Fulvia Plautilla - was an instrument in the hands of his father; Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus, was almost the regent of the young Gordian III and did so in agreement with the Senate honored him with the title of Protector of the Republic.
Marriage to Tranquillina was one of the central moments of the reign of Gordian as sanctioned in fact the newfound representative of the upper classes who saw in Gordian III the representative of an ancient family and in Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus an energetic vir militaris capable of restoring obedience among the legions and organizing military companies to fight revolts at the border.
Tranquillina was born in 226 in Sabina, when they married in 241 she was fifteen years old and sixteen Gordian; The marriage took place in May and perhaps for his marriage Gordian decided to restore and beautify the beautiful villa, which had been of the Gordian's grandfather and who was on the road to Praeneste. Julius Capitolinus in his "Historia Augusta" describes the Villa of the Gordiani which was adorned with a porch of 200 columns of marble, with a 3 basilicas and sumptuous baths.
We don't know the exact location of the Domus Gordianorum but already at the time of Piranesi was believed to be identifiable in the ruins of a great apse-shaped trapezoidal shell with traces of stucco, near referred they open: a rectangular niche at the center, and two semicircular sides (now inside the Gordiani Park).
The long celebrations planned for the wedding were interrupted by preparations of start for war which broke out at Persian borders; Tranquillina followed Gordian and his father in Asia Minor.
The Persian king Sciaphur I had invaded Mesopotamia and Syria reaching up to Antioch; Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus organized an army with the legions I Adiutrix and II Adiutrix (Danubian), repelled the Sassanids to the Euphrates and defeated them in Resaina (242). Roma regained many of the lost territories, Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus freed Antioch and reconquered Carre and took the road to finally defeat the enemy king laying siege to his capital Ctesiphon but Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus became ill during march. There is no certain information, perhaps it was dysentery or perhaps it was poison and he died; he was succeeded by his lieutenant Philip the Arab.
Tranquillina marriage did not last long because of Gordian died in 244 during the war against the Parthians. The young emperor was assassinated on February 25, 244 by the Praetorian Guard on the instigation of Philip the Arab successor of Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus; He reigned only six years.
Historians are inclined to believe that marriage, though born to political interests, it was still a union of hearts and the confirmation it would be the representation of the many coins minted back in a short period.
After the death of Gordian there is no news of Tranquillina except for a reference to the birth of a daughter in 244 who would be given the name of Furia Antonia whom later married Marcus Marcius Orfito, but this news has not been confirmed.





by M.L. ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (Ed 1.0 - 19/08/2016)