The Wonderful World of Ancient Coin Collecting
Coinage of the Roman Empire


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Coin Details

  

Set Details
Coin Description:
Grade: NGC AU Surface: 3/5 Surface: 3/5
Owner: RAM-VT
 
Set Category: Ancients
Set Name: The Wonderful World of Ancient Coin Collecting
Slot Name: Coinage of the Roman Empire
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Roman Provincial Coinage – Syria: Seleucis and Pieria. Antioch Philip I (Philip the Arab) AD 244 - 249 Bi Tetradrachm Prieur 368, Similar to Sear #3956 Grade AU - Strike 4/5 - Surface 3/5 Census - NGC does not provide census info on ancient coins :>( The Obv. AYTOK K M IOYLI FILIPPOC CEB, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right, seen from behind The Rev. DHMARC EXOVCIAC VPATO G, eagle standing right with wreath in its beak, ANTIOXIA SC below. Marcus Julius Philippus (c. 204 – 249), commonly known as Philip the Arab, sometimes Philippus Arabs or Arabus, was Roman Emperor from 244 to 249. His rise to power came in 243, during Gordian III's campaign against Shapur I of Persia, when the Praetorian prefect Timesitheus died under unclear circumstances. At the suggestion of his brother Priscus, Philip became the new Praetorian prefect, with the intention that the two brothers would control the young Emperor and rule the Roman world as unofficial regents. Following a military defeat, Gordian III died in 244 under circumstances that are still debated. Whatever the case, Philip assumed the purple following Gordian's death. Philip was not willing to repeat the mistakes of previous claimants, and was aware that he had to return to Rome in order to secure his position with the senate. However, his first priority was to conclude a peace treaty with Shapur I of Persia, and withdraw the army from a potentially disastrous situation. In an attempt to shore up his regime, Philip put a great deal of effort in maintaining good relations with the Senate, and from the beginning of his reign, he reaffirmed the old Roman virtues and traditions. Overwhelmed by the number of invasions and usurpers, Philip offered to resign, but the Senate, decided to throw its support behind the emperor, with a certain Gaius Messius Quintus Decius most vocal of all the senators. Philip was so impressed by his support that he dispatched Decius to the region with a special command encompassing all of the Pannonian and Moesian provinces. This had a dual purpose of both quelling the rebellion of Pacatianus as well as dealing with the barbarian incursions. Although Decius managed to quell the revolt, discontent in the legions was growing. Decius (249–251) was proclaimed Emperor by the Danubian armies in the spring of 249 and immediately marched on Rome. Yet even before he had left the region, the situation for Philip had turned even more sour. Although Decius tried to come to terms with Philip, Philip's army met the usurper near modern Verona that summer. Decius won the battle and Philip was killed sometime in September 249, either in the fighting or assassinated by his own soldiers who were eager to please the new ruler. My cost for this coin was $119

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