Sponsianus

Sponsianus

Sponsianus, also known in English as Sponsian, may have been a Roman usurper during the third century AD. His existence is implied by a series of coins bearing his name, ostensibly part of a hoard excavated in the eighteenth century. No corresponding figure named Sponsianus is mentioned in any ancient sources, and the coins are widely believed to be the work of modern forgers. However, a study of wear marks on the coins published in November 2022 concluded that the coins were authentic, supporting Sponsian's existence as a historical figure. The study's methodology and conclusions have been criticized by a number of scholars. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Sponsianus has received more than 175,750 page views. His biography is available in 22 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 15 in 2019). Sponsianus is the 13,177th most popular politician (down from 12,691st in 2019).