Philip was born in a village in Auranitis, part of the district of Trachonitis, east of the Sea of Galilee. His birthplace was refounded and renamed in his honor during his reign as emperor, becoming Philippopolis, the modern al-Shahbā', Syria.[1] He was one of only three Easterners to be made emperor before the decisive separation of East and West in 395 (the other two were Elagabalus and Alexander Severus). Even among Easterners Philip was atypical, as he was an Arab, not a Greek.[2] His father was Julius Marinus; nothing besides his name is known, but the name indicates that he held Roman citizenship. Marinus must have been prominent in his community.[3]
The early details of Philip's career are obscure, but his brother, Gaius Julius Priscus, was made praetorian prefect under Emperor Gordian III (r. 238–44). If a fragmentary inscription (Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae 1331) refers to Priscus, he would have moved through several equestrian offices (i.e., administrative positions open to a member of the equestrian order) during Gordian's reign. In the spring of 242, Philip himself was made praetorian prefect, most likely through the intervention of his brother. Following a failed campaign against Persia in the winter of 243–44, Gordian died in camp.[3] Rumors that Philip had murdered him were taken up by the senatorial opposition of the later third century, and survive in the Latin histories and epitomes of the period.[4] Philip was acclaimed emperor, and was secure in that title by late winter 244. Philip made his brother rector Orientis, an executive position with extraordinary powers, including command of the armies in the Eastern provinces. Philip began his reign by negotiating peace an end to his predecessor's war against Persia. In 248, Philip called the Secular Games to celebrate the 1000-year anniversary of the founding of Rome.[3]
Philip's brother Priscus proved unpopular. His tax collection methods provoked the revolt of one Jotapianus, and related rebellions by Silbannacus and Sponsianus. From 245 until 248, Philip waged war against trans-Danubian peoples. When he proclaimed victory in 248, the Danubian armies revolted, proclaiming a man named Pacatianus emperor. All four rebellions were suppressed quickly. In 249, to restore order among the rebellious troops, Philip gave Senator Decius command of the Danubian armies. In late spring 249, the armies proclaimed Decius emperor, a title he did not refuse. The civil war that followed ended in a battle outside Verona. Decius emerged victorious, and Philip either died or was assassinated. When news of Philip's death reached Rome, the Praetorian Guard murdered his son and successor Marcus Julius Severus Philippus.[3][5]
Citations
edit- ^ Jones, Cities, 234; Pohlsander, "Philip the Arab and Christianity", 468; Shahîd, Rome and the Arabs, 37, 72. On the foundation of Philippolis, see also: Jones, Cities, 286. For details and arguments regarding the boundaries of the Provincia Arabia at Philip's birth, see Millar, 530–31.
- ^ Perry Anderson, Passages from Antiquity to Feudalism (London: NLB, 1974), 87–88.
- ^ a b c d Michael L. Meckler and Christian Körner, "Philip the Arab and Rival Claimants of the later 240s", De Imperatoribus Romanus (1999), citing Inscriptiones Latinae Selectae 1331. Accessed 6 December 2009.
- ^ York, passim.
- ^ Geoffrey Nathan and Robin McMahon, "Trajan Decius (249-251 A.D.) and Usurpers During His Reign", De Imperatoribus Romanus (2002). Accessed 11 March 2010.