Philippe the Arab

Philippe the Arab ( Imperator Caesar Marcus Iulius Philippus Pius Felix Augustus, Persicus Maximus, Parthicus Maximus, Carpicus Maximus, Germanicus Maximus ) (v. 204 - 249) was Roman Emperor of 244 with 249.

Born at the beginning of the 3rd century in the Province from Arabia, in a district named Trachon (today the Leja, in Syria, in the south of Damas), in a family of notable. His/her father bore the Syrian name of Marinus, and its gentilice Iulius (as Julia Domna) suggests that it had received the Roman citizenship in 212, under the terms of the edict of Caracalla. One knows nothing precis about Philippe before 243, if not that his/her Priscus brother was named Préfet of the court and was associated with Timésithée, father-in-law of the emperor Gordien III. Philippe had married some Otacilia Severa, and they had had at least a son, named Marcus Iulius Philippus (Philippe II) like his/her father.

Philippe was to belong to the entourage close to Timésithée since it was named to succeed to him in the urgency the prefecture of the court in 243, becoming thus the colleague of his brother. Gordian III having been beaten by the Persian with Misikhè (Falloujah, Iraq) in 244, it died during its retirement and Philippe was elected emperor by the army to succeed to him. He negotiated at once with the king of Persians Shapur Ier the release of the Roman prisoners and concludes peace. Rome poured with Persians a ransom of 500.000 gold coins, preserved its conquests of the previous year, and was semi-officially committed leaving with Persians the freehands against the Arménie.

Installed with Antioche, Philippe reorganized the Roman forces of the East, placing them under the single command of his Priscus brother named rector Orientis . He congédia the auxiliaries Goths which had been recruited for the forwarding of Gordien III, and placed the Roman forces of the the Danube under the command of Severianus, undoubtedly his brother-in-law. He filled the Arabia, his native province, of his generosity while making embellish Bostra (Bosra, Syria), the capital, and by building of all parts the new city of Philippopolis (Shahba, Syria), perhaps at the origin his native village. He also made build the propylées monumental ones of the temple of Jupiter in Héliopolis (Baalbek, Lebanon).

After to be made to confirm by Senate with Rome (him which did not result from the senatorial nobility), it left guerroyer on the Danube against the Carpes. Then in 247, in Rome, it made celebrate with ostentation the secular Jeux, who corresponded to the millenium of the Fondation of Rome.

But on this date of many dissatisfactions, in particular in the armies of the provinces, had burst. The very heavy tax requirements of his/her Priscus brother in the East had made it very unpopular. In Cappadoce, some Jotapianus asserted one moment the title of emperor, while Pacatianus, which had supports for the Senate, made in the same way on the Danube. Philippe charged Dèce, then prefect of the City, to repress this last usurpation. But that made, the proper soldiers of Décius acclaimed it emperor.

Philippe had in his turn to walk against his former subordinate. In autumn 249 they clashed with the Bataille of Vérone. Dèce carried it and Philippe was killed.

Eusèbe de Césarée, in its ecclesiastical History (VI, 34), implies that it was Christian, and that it always behaved “in fear of God”. Actually, if Philippe seems indeed to be himself interested in the Christianisme, on a purely private basis or some fine policy, which one knows of the events which have occurred under his reign presents it like strictly pagan (propitiatory Taurobole S, festivals of the Millenium). It is not contradictory: Christianity was well established in Roman Arabia at the beginning of the 3rd century, but the soldiers had the obligation to take part in the pagan worship. The question remains open.

The Arab qualifier comes to him from an anonymous work of the 4th century, the Epitomé on Césars . It is resulting from a Syrian Arabic family and was born in a district attached since Septime Sévère to the province from Arabia.

Successive names

Towards 204, is born Marcus Julius Philippus
244, reaches the Empire: Imperator Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus
following its victories against the German ones and Carps: Imperator Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Germanicus Maximus Carpicus Maximus
249, titulature with its death: Imperator Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Germanicus Maximus Carpicus Maximus, Pontifex Maximus, Tribuniciae Potestatis VI, Imperator VI, Consul III.

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