viii。p。285。TheauthorityofCensorinusdeDieNatali，c。18
enablesustofixthosegameswithcertaintytotheyear238，butleavesusinignoranceofthemonthorday。2。TheelectionofGordianbythesenateisfixedwithequalcertaintytothe27thofMay；butweareatalosstodiscoverwhetheritwasinthesameortheprecedingyear。TillemontandMuratori，whomaintainthetwooppositeopinions，bringintothefieldadesultorytroopofauthorities，conjecturesandprobabilities。Theoneseemstodrawout，theothertocontracttheseriesofeventsbetweenthoseperiods，morethancanbewellreconciledtoreasonandhistory。Yetitisnecessarytochoosebetweenthem。
Note:Eckhelhasmorerecentlytreatedthesechronologicalquestionswithaperspicuitywhichgivesgreatprobabilitytohisconclusions。Settingasideallthehistorians，whosecontradictionsareirreconcilable，hehasonlyconsultedthemedals，andhasarrangedtheeventsbeforeusinthefollowingorder:—
Maximin，A。U。990，afterhavingconqueredtheGermans，reentersPannonia，establisheshiswinterquartersatSirmium，andprepareshimselftomakewaragainstthepeopleoftheNorth。
Intheyear991，inthecalendsofJanuary，commenceshisfourthtribunate。TheGordiansarechosenemperorsinAfrica，probablyatthebeginningofthemonthofMarch。Thesenateconfirmsthiselectionwithjoy，anddeclaresMaximintheenemyofRome。Fivedaysafterhehadheardofthisrevolt，MaximinsetsoutfromSirmiumonhismarchtoItaly。TheseeventstookplaceaboutthebeginningofApril；alittleafter，theGordiansareslaininAfricabyCapellianus，procuratorofMauritania。Thesenate，initsalarm，namesasemperorsBalbusandMaximusPupianus，andintruststhelatterwiththewaragainstMaximin。MaximinisstoppedonhisroadnearAquileia，bythewantofprovisions，andbythemeltingofthesnows:hebeginsthesiegeofAquileiaattheendofApril。PupianusassembleshisarmyatRavenna。