Talk:Gordian dynasty/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: The lazy mouse (talk · contribs) 12:39, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

I'll make a few preliminary comments before I evaluate the article. The mass of detail would be more digestable if some context was provided. For example, it should be explained that this period marked the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century (235–284). Another way to provide context is to reflect on the three way struggle between the Senate, the Army, and the Praetorian Guard. In traditional accounts, the Senate is a group of wise old men while the Praetorians are pampered soldiers ready to sell the Empire to the highest bidder. One has to wonder if it was really just so.

I would add a dissussion of the primary sources. The principle primary source is Historia Augusta, which could be an external link.

The "Numismatics" seems to be trivia for coin collectors with no conclusions regarding the economy of Gordian Rome. You really need to explain the difference between a tetradrachm and a denarius.

Judging from this ngram, "Three Gordians" is a more common usage than "Gordian dynasty." I checked Historia Augustia and Gibbon and they both use "Three Gordians." Not only that, but nearly half of the usage for Gordian dynasty refers to the Phygian Gordian dynasty (the kings who gave us the knot.)

Do you suggest I change the name of the article (i.e. move the article to the "three Gordians")? Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 14:14, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

What was Gordian religious policy? I remember reading somewhere that their failures helped discredit paganism and led to the rise of Christianity.

I've added a short bit on it to "politics". Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 14:32, 26 February 2018 (UTC)

• "Emperor Maximinus Thrax" -- Britannica gives simply "Maximinus"
•  Done I have kept the initial thrax, as it mirrors the article name, but all others are simply Maximinus. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 14:14, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
• "elected by the army" -- The usual style is "proclaimed by the army." We should not imply that there was voting.
•  Done, I have changed the two instances of "elected" to proclaimed when talking about army, have kept the "elected" when talking about the voting of the senate. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 14:14, 26 February 2018 (UTC)
• Popes -- As a plural, this should be lower cased.
•  Done
• "Africa Proconsularis" --- Can we make this English? How about "Roman Africa"?
•  Done

Thanks for addressing my concerns. I think we are ready to pass this article now.

• 1. Well written. pass
• 2. Verifiable with no original research. Pass
• 3. Broad in its coverage. Pass
• 4. Neutral. Pass
• 5. Stable. Pass.
• 6. Illustrated. Pass. The lazy mouse (talk) 15:14, 26 February 2018 (UTC)