French historian Christian Settipani identified Gordian I's parents as Marcus Antonius (b. ca 135), "tr. pl.", "praet. des.", and wife Sempronia Romana (b. ca 140), daughter of Titus Flavius Sempronius Aquila (b. ca 115), "Secretarius ab epistulis Graecis", and wife Claudia (b. ca 120), daughter of an unknown father and his wife Claudia Tisamenis (b. ca 100), sister of Herodes Atticus. It appears in this family tree that the person who was related to Herodes Atticus was Gordian I's mother or grandmother and not his wife.