Middle Roman Republic, Military Anarchy (235-284): Philip-I, Philip II 

34 *PHILIP-I THE ARAB (c.45; r.244-249)

35 *PHILIP II (11; r.247-249)

Philip was born in Shahba, an obscure town in southwest Syria, which he now began to rebuild at massive cost as the grand city of Philippopolis in his own honour. This creation of a new city, in addition to the massive tribute owed to the Sassanids and the necessary donative to the army in order to secure its acceptance of his accession, meant that Philip was short of money. To pay for all this he increased levels of taxation and ceased paying subsidies to the tribes north of the Danube that were helping to keep the peace.

In 245 Philip, well aware of the seriousness of the Sassanid threat in Syria, named his brother, Titus ⁴¹Julius Priscus, rector Orientis, in charge of all the provinces bordering Sassanid territory. In the West the Carpi tribe invaded and ravaged Moesia Inferior, Thracia and Macedonia, and Philip’s brother-in-law, Severianus, whom he had entrusted with the command of the two Moesias, failed to repel them. Philip was forced to leave Rome and after establishing his headquarters in Philippopolis (=Plovdiv) in Thracia he pushed the Carpi back across the Danube and chased them back to Dacia; by summer 246 he was able to claim victory against them.

By August 247 Philip was back in Rome, where he poured money into the most momentous event of his reign – the Ludi Saeculares (=Secular Games), which coincided with the one thousandth anniversary of the traditional date of the foundation of Rome, 21 April 753 BC. At the same time Philip elevated his son Philip the Younger (11; fl.244-249) to augustus.

Philip’s departure from the Danube left the area open to renewed Gothic raids. Early in 248 the army of the Danube, in response to the situation, acclaimed as emperor ⁴²Claudius Marinus Pacatianus, whom Philip had sent to command the Danubian troops. In the confusion that followed, the Quadi and other Germanic tribes raided Pannonia; the Goths invaded Moesia and Thracia; and the Carpi renewed their attacks on Dacia and Moesia. 

In the East meanwhile, ¹⁶Fulvius Rufus Jotapianus led another uprising in response to the oppressive rule of Priscus and the excessive taxation of the Eastern provinces. Two other usurpers, Silbannacus (Moesia) and Sponsianus (Rhine), are reported to have started rebellions without much success.

Rather than deal with the rebellion himself, Philip sent his general Messius Quintus Decius (c.50; fl.248-251) to quell the revolt of Pacatianus. On his approach the revolt collapsed and Pacatianus was killed by his own troops. The Danubian armies immediately proclaimed Decius as their emperor. Decius marched to Italy and killed Philip in a decisive battle near Verona, and Philip II disappeared soon afterwards.