Philippus the Arab

Names:

• ±204(?): Marcus Julius Philippus 
• February 244: Imperator Caesar Marcus Julius Philippus Augustus
• September 249: killed in action

Relatives:

• father: Julius Marinus
• married to: Marcia Otacilia Severa
• children: Marcus Julius Philippus Junior

Main deeds:

• ±204(?) Born in Arabia, maybe in the town that was later called Philippopolis
• Before 238: marriage to Otacilia
• Prefect of Mesopotamia?
• Praetorian prefect
• 244 Succeeds Gordian III, who had been defeated by the Sasanian king Shapur I and was killed by his soldiers. After peace had been concluded, Philip briefly used the titles Parthicus Adiabenicus, Persicus maximus, and Parthicus maximus; he arrives in Rome; his son Marcus Julius Philippus Junior made caesar
• 245 Consul (with Gaius Maesius Titianus); leaves Rome for a war against the Carpi
• 246 War against the Carpi; later also a war against the Germanic tribes
• 247 Consul II (with Philippus Junior); triumph; he accepts the titles Carpicus Maximus and Germanicus Maximus
• 248 Consul III (with Philippus Junior II); celebration of Rome's millennium; death of Otacilia; revolt of Pacatianus in Moesia or Pannonia; Decius restores order along the Danube
• 248(?) Death of Otacilia
• 249 Revolt of Iotapatianus in the east; he is killed by his soldiers; in the north, Decius is proclaimed emperor; he defeats Philip near Verona

Contemporary events:

• 248 Origen publishes Against Celsus

Succeeded by: Decius

Links:

• Shapur's triumph relief at Naqš-i Rustam
• Shapur's triumph relief at Darabgird
• Shapur's investiture relief at Bishapur
• Shapur's triumph relief at Bishapur