Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus

Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus (c. 190 - 243) was a Roman Praetorian Prefect who lived in the 3rd century and was the most important advisor to Roman Emperor Gordian III. Very little is known on his origins. Timesitheus was a Roman of equestrian rank.

Life
He started his career under the severan emperor Elagabalus helding a number of important provincial postings. Between 218-222, the emperor promoted him and appointed him as Procurator of Arabia and, from 220 he became a Prefect of the Cohorts and held procuratorships in Syria, Palestine, Bithynia, Pontus, Paphlagonia, Asia, Germania Inferior, Gallia Belgica, Gallia Aquitania and Gallia Lugdunensis. Timesitheus proved to be an able and efficient official.

In 241, the Roman Emperor Gordian III was looking for a responsible person to serve as Praetorian Prefect, the commander of the Praetorian Guard. Gordian appointed Timesitheus and he became a prominent figure in the emperor’s reign, assisting Gordian and his mother Antonia Gordiana in administering the Roman Empire. In May 241, Timesitheus arranged the marriage of his daughter Tranquillina, whose mother is unknown, to the Emperor. She became a Roman Empress and her marriage to Gordian proved to be a very happy (albeit short-lived).

Timesitheus ordered the improvements of the empire’s borders in Africa and organized the war on Persia, whose King Shapur I had recently invaded Roman Mesopotamia and captured Nisibis and Carrhae. In 243 Timesitheus defeated them at the Battle of Resaena and expelled them from Roman territory, regaining both cities. As he was planning more campaigns, he suddenly became ill and died. Gordian replaced him with Philip the Arab.