Gordiaans III, Sestertius, 238-239
Rome - Bronzen - FR - RIC:254a
IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG.
FIDES MILITVM / S C
17.46 gr
Gordian III
- Reign over Roman Empire (Western and Byzantine): AD 238–244
- Period: Crisis of the Third Century
Originally from Anatolia (Asia Minor), Marcus Antonius Gordianus was born in January 225 and died at Circesium in Mesopotamia (modern-day Al-Busayrah in Syria) in 244. He was scarcely 19 years of age and reigned over the empire for just 6 years.
Gordian III was but 13 years old when he was thrust to power by the citizens of Rome. The Empire then faced internal revolts and felt strong pressures at its borders, in particular that of the Parthians in the East. His reign fell in the middle of the Crisis of the Third Century, also known as the “Military Anarchy”, during which tyrants and emperors succeeded one another at a terrific rate from the death of Alexander Severus, assassinated in 235, until the arrival of Diocletian in 284.
Picture: Bust of Gordian III, The Staatliche Museen’s Collection of Classical Antiquities, Altes Museum, Berlin - Picture taken by Marcus Cyron (CC)
Bronze
Bronze (not to be confused with brass, although usage of the two terms varied in times of yore) is an extremely ancient alloy with origins going back to the period around 2,000 BC. Also known...wait for it...as the Bronze Age (who would have guessed?). Back in ancient times, a proportion of 10% tin was added to copper. It was used in particular for luxurious objects such as swords, helmets, hairpins, and even chariot ornaments.
That is by no means insignificant though, as when putting on a bronze helmet you would already find yourself with an extra 3 kilos or so on your head. Add to that your sword and armor…let’s see you advance quickly now!
The heavyweight of alloys one might say*.
The first Western bronze coins probably date back to the end of the 4th century BC and Greece.
Although the coins may be ancient, it is more difficult to date the appearance of a specific word for this alloy. The earliest record is a Venetian manuscript in Greek dating from the 11th century, but it is not impossible that it was in use earlier.
Nowadays, the bronze used in coinage is an alloy of copper (majority) and tin (minority) along with other metals such as zinc, for example, which improves the castability, or nickel, which produces a harder alloy. Its main qualities are undeniably its great resistance to corrosion and mechanical wear as well as...its aesthetic aspect.
The patina of bronze can vary, ranging from verdigris to brown through to black.
*Actually, puns aside, copper and cupronickel have a greater density, for example.
