Tranquillina, Augusta, 241-244. Antoninianus (Silver, 23 mm, 4.06 g, 8 h), Rome, 241. SABINIA TRANQVILLINA AVG Diademed and draped bust of Tranquillina set to right on crescent. Rev. CONCORDIA AVGG Concordia seated left, holding patera in her right hand and double cornucopiae in her left. Cohen 4. RIC 250. Very rare. A lovely, nicely toned piece with a particularly elegant portrait. Slightly porous, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.




Tranquillina was the daughter of Gaius Julius Timesitheus, an eques who had a successful career under the Severans and Maximinus before he finally became the Praetorian Prefect of the juvenile Gordian III in 241. As the de facto-ruler of the empire, he had his daughter married to the emperor and acted as the protector of the imperial couple. Timesitheus appears to have been an effective administrator and general, but he eventually died under suspicious circumstances after defeating a Sasanian army in 243. His successor was Marcus Julius Philippus, who assumed the throne a few months later after Gordian III had also conveniently died afield. Whatever the role of Philip in these suspicious events, Tranquillina herself consequently disappeared from all sources without a trace.