Rome being thus freed from her alarms before her armies met those of the usurper, Pupienus returned to Rome to enjoy the tranquillity of peace. He' was re ceived with the greatest rejoicings, thanksgivings were offered up for the deliverance of the city, and whole hecatombs blazed on the altars. The Persians having begun to make aggressions against the Romans, Pu pienus was preparing to march against them with a powerful army, when events of a more serious nature claimed his attention. Although both the emperors were distinguished by their wisdom and experience yet the fiend of jealousy seems to have early conspired to separate them. Pupienus was universally allowed to surpass his colleague, both as a soldier and a states man; but as he was the son of a blacksmith, Balbinus considered himself as his superior both from his opu lence and from his family. The petty dissensions which from these causes took place between the rival emperors, emboldened the Prxtorian guards to effect a change in the government, which they had long con templated. They therefore attacked the palace when the emperors were returning from the capitoline games. Perceiving the approach of the troops, and anticipating its object, Pupienus sent for the German guards, who were stationed round Balbinus; but whe ther Balbinus wished to leave his colleague unprotect ed, or whether he prudently retained the guards for his own defence, he refused to send any assistance to Pu pienus. The Prwtorian troops meeting with no resist ance, seized both the emperors, and dragging them to the camp, they put them to death, and left their bodies in the streets.
While the tumult which was thus excited was at its height, the mutineers met accidentally with Gordian, the grandson of their late emperor, in the street. This amiable young man, then in his sixteenth year, pro mised, by his virtues and talents, to retrieve the Roman character. The senate and the people concur red with the army in his election. His governor and instructor, Misitheus, who had been celebrated for his eloquence and public virtues, was entrusted with the most responsible offices in the state. The emperor married his daughter, Furia Sabina Tranquillina, and followed the advice of his father-in-law in every ques tion of importance. They reformed the various abuses which had crept into the •government; they restored the ancient discipline of the army; they endeavoured to reconcile the soldiers and the citizens, and they laid up stores of provisions in the chief towns of the em pire, in order that, upon any emergency, a large army could be maintained for fifteen days.
Having thus established himself in the good opinion of his subjects, Gordian marched into the east to at tack Sapor king of Persia, who had seized upon An tioch, and plundered Syria and the adjoining provinces.
During his march to the east, he fell in with an army of the Gauls. in Mwsia who had endeavoured to settle in Thrace; and after many successful conflicts, he com pelled them to retreat into their own territories. He next advanced against the Persians; and after defeat ing the army of Sapor, he obtained possession of seve ral of the most flourishing cities in the east. The senate decreed a triumph to Gordian, and selected Misitheus as the guardian of the state. This able and upright minister, however, who had been made Prxtorian prefect, and who had a principal share in the success of the Roman arms, died very suddenly, and was sup posed to have been poisoned by one Philip, an Arabian, who succeeded him as Prmtorian prefect. Misitheus bequeathed all his possessions for the public benefit. The good fortune of Gordian seems to have left him at the death of his father-in-law. The army was not supplied with provisions as before; and Philip artfully took advantage of the discontent which was thus oc casioned. He contrived to have himself raised to equal power with Gordian; and having attained this eleva tion, he assassinated his colleague, who died in the twenty-second year of his age, and the sixth of his reign. The senate honoured the remains of Gordian with a splendid funeral on the confines of Persia; and they decreed that his descendants should be freed from all the heavy taxes of the state.
After having thus assassinated his colleague and his patron, Philip was proclaimed emperor by the army; and their choice was with some reluctance confirmed by the voice of the senate, who gave him the title of Augustus. Philip ascended the throne at the age of forty; and he associated with him, as the partner of his power, his son, who was only six years of age. His father, who was an Arabian, had been captain of a band of robbers, and had no doubt brought up his son to the same adventurous profession. Philip con ceived a desire to visit the scenes of his early exploits, and before he set off from Rome, he went into Arabia, and laid the foundation of a city, to which he gave the name of Philippopolis. Leaving Mesopotamia a prey to the Persians, he returned to Rome, where he was received with respect and submission, though not with the usual acclamations of the people. He soon, how ever, rendered himself popular by his great liberality and profusion. As the thousandth year of Rome fell in the reign of Philip, he caused the secular games to be celebrated with a magnificence corresponding to the joy of this event. The people were entertained with games and shows. The theatre of Pompey was crowded for three days and three nights in succes sion, and two thousand gladiators bled at once in the circus to administer to the amusement of the people.