Gordian I (Latin: Marcus Antonius Gordianus Sempronianus Romanus; c. 158 – April 238 AD) was Roman emperor for 22 days with his son Gordian II in 238, the Year of the Six Emperors. Caught up in a rebellion against the Emperor Maximinus Thrax, he was defeated by forces loyal to Maximinus, and he committed suicide after the death of his son.

Little is known about the early life and family background of Gordian I. There is no reliable evidence on his family origins. Gordian I was said to be related to prominent senators of his time.  His praenomen and nomen Marcus Antonius suggested that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under the triumvir Mark Antony, or one of his daughters, during the late Roman Republic.  Gordian's cognomen ‘Gordianus’ also indicates that his family origins were from Anatolia, more specifically Galatia or Cappadocia.

Gordian steadily climbed the Roman imperial hierarchy when he became part of the Roman Senate. His political career started relatively late in his life  and his early years were probably spent in rhetoric and literary studies.  As a military man, Gordian commanded the Legio IV Scythica when the legion was stationed in Syria. He served as governor of Roman Britain in 216 AD and was a Suffect Consul sometime during the reign of Elagabalus.

During the reign of Alexander Severus, Gordian I (who was by then in his late sixties), after serving his Suffect Consulship prior to 223, drew lots for the proconsular governorship of the province of Africa Proconsularis  which he assumed in 237. However, prior to the commencement of his promagistrature, Maximinus Thrax killed Alexander Severus at Moguntiacum in Germania Inferior and assumed the throne.

Maximinus was not a popular emperor and universal discontent increased due to his oppressive rule.  It culminated in a revolt in Africa in 238 AD (the exact month is unknown).  After Maximinus' fiscal curator was murdered in a riot, people turned to Gordian and demanded that he accept the dangerous honor of the imperial throne.[4] Gordian, who was about 80 years according to Herodian, eventually yielded to the popular clamour and assumed both the purple and the cognomen "Africanus".

Due to his advanced age, he insisted that his son be associated with him. A few days later, Gordian entered the city of Carthage with the overwhelming support of the population and local political leaders.  Gordian I sent assassins to kill Maximinus' praetorian prefect, Publius Aelius Vitalianus,  and the rebellion seemed to be successful. Gordian, in the meantime, had sent an embassy to Rome, under the leadership of Publius Licinius Valerianus,  to obtain the Senate's support for his rebellion.  The Senate confirmed the new emperor and many of the provinces gladly sided with Gordian.

Opposition came from the neighboring province of Numidia.  Capelianus, governor of Numidia and a loyal supporter of Maximinus Thrax, held a grudge against Gordian  and invaded the African province with the only legion stationed in the region, III Augusta, and other veteran units. Gordian II, at the head of a militia army of untrained soldiers, lost the Battle of Carthage and was killed, and Gordian I killed himself by hanging himself with his belt. The Gordians had ruled only 22 days, the shortest reign of any Roman emperor. Gordian was the first emperor to commit suicide since Otho in 69 during the Year of the Four Emperors.

Gordian's positive reputation can be attributed to his reportedly amiable character. Both he and his son were said to be fond of literature, even publishing their own voluminous works. While they were strongly interested in intellectual pursuits, they possessed neither the necessary skills nor resources to be considered able statesmen or powerful rulers. Having embraced the cause of Gordian, the Senate was obliged to continue the revolt against Maximinus following Gordian's death, appointing Pupienus and Balbinus as joint emperors. Nevertheless, by the end of 238, the recognized emperor would be Gordian III, Gordian's grandson.