Year of the Six Emperors, or Roman Civil War of 238

The Year of the Six Emperors refers to the year 238, during which six people are recognized as emperors of Rome.

The emperor at the beginning of the year is Maximinus Thrax, who had ruled since 235.

Later sources claim he was a cruel tyrant, and in January 238 a revolt erupts in North Africa.

Some young aristocrats murders the imperial tax-collector and then approach the regional governor, Gordian, and insist that he proclaim himself emperor.

Gordian agrees reluctantly, but as he is 80 years old he decides to make his son joint emperor with equal power.

The senate recognizes father and son as emperors Gordian I and Gordian II respectively.Their reign lasts for only 20 days.

Capelianus, the governor of the neighboring province of Numidia, holds a grudge against the Gordians.

He leads an army to fight them and defeats them decisively at Carthage.

Gordian II is killed in the battle, and on hearing this news Gordian I hangs himself.Meanwhile Maximinus, now declared a public enemy, has already begun to march on Rome with another army.

The senate's previous candidates, the Gordians, had failed to defeat him, and, knowing that they stand to die if he succeeds, the senate needs a new emperor to defeat him.

With no other candidates in view, on April22, 238 they elect two elderly senators, Pupienus and Balbinus (who had both been part of a special senatorial commission to deal with Maximinus), as joint emperors.This choice is not popular with the people, however, and mobs throw stones and sticks at the new emperors.

Therefore Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius, the thirteen-year-old grandson of Gordian I, is nominated as emperor, holding power only nominally in order to appease the population of the capital, which is still loyal to the Gordian family.Pupienus is sent at the head of an army to face Maximinus, and Balbinus stays in Rome.

Meanwhile, Maximinus is also having problems.

In early February, he reaches the city of Aquileia to find that it has declared for his three enemies.

Maximinus besieges the city, but without success.

By April, discontent due to this failure, the lack of success in the campaign in general, lack of supplies and the strong opposition of the senate, forces his legionaries to rethink their allegiance.Soldiers of the II Parthica kill the usurper in his tent, along with his son Maximus (who had been appointed deputy emperor in 236), and surrender to Pupienus at the end of June.

The corpses of Maximinus and his son are decapitated and their heads carried to Rome.

For saving Rome from a public enemy, the soldiers are pardoned and sent back to their provinces.The co-emperor then returns to Rome, only to find the city in riot.

Balbinus had not managed to control the situation and the city had burned in a fire resulting in mutiny.

With both emperors present, the situation calms down but the unease remains.Coins from their short reign show one of them on one side and two clasped hands on the other to show their joint power, yet their relationship has been clouded with suspicion from the start, with both fearing an assassination from the other.

They are planning an enormous double campaign, Pupienus against the Parthians and Balbinus against the Carpians (or against Goths and Persians respectively, the source is unclear on this), but they quarrel frequently and cannot agree or trust each other.It is during one of these heavy discussions, in May or on July 29, that the Praetorian guard decides to intervene.

They storm into the room containing the emperors, seize them both, stripping them, dragging them naked through the streets, torturing and eventually murdering them.

On the same day Gordian III is proclaimed sole emperor (238-244), though in reality his advisors exercise most of his power.

Together Pupienus and Balbinus had ruled for only 99 days.Gordians I and II are deified by the senate.

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