PHILIP I the ARAB 246AD Viminacium BULL LION Legion Sestertius Roman Coin i58386

Description

Item:
i58386
Authentic Ancient Coin of:
Philip I 'the Arab' - Roman Emperor: 244-249 A.D.
Bronze 'Sestertius' 25mm (17.10 grams) of Viminacium in Moesia Superior
Struck Year 8 of it's founding, 246/247 A.D.
Reference: Varbanov 137; Boric-Brescovic 827ff; AMNG I 104; SNG Hungary 322ff; Jekov and Hristova 31
IMP M IVL PHILIPPVS AVG, laureate, draped & cuirassed bust right.
P M S COL VIM, Moesia standing left between bull & lion (symbols of the legions stationed in city), AN VIII in exergue.
Viminacium was a major city of the Roman province of Moesia (today's Serbia), and the capital of Moesia Superior. Viminacium was the base camp of Legio VII Claudia, and hosted for some time the Legio IIII Flavia Felix. The bull and the lion depicted on the coins from the city were the symbols of the two legions. It was destroyed in 440 by the Huns.
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Legio quarta Flavia Felix
("Lucky Flavian Fourth Legion"), was a
legion
of the
Imperial Roman army
founded in AD 70 by the emperor
Vespasian
(r. 69-79) from the ashes of the
Macedonica
Legio IV
. The legion was active in
Moesia Superior
in the first half of the 5th century.
The legion symbol was a
lion
.
During the
Batavian rebellion
, the IV
Macedonica
fought for Vespasian, but the
emperor
distrusted his men, probably because they had supported
Vitellius
two years before
. Therefore IV
Macedonica
was disbanded, and a new Fourth legion, called
Flavian Felix
was levied by the emperor, who gave the legio his
nomen
,
Flavia
. Since the symbol of the legion is a lion, it was probably levied in July/August 70.
IV
Flavia Felix
was camped in
Burnum
,
Dalmatia
(modern
Kistanje
), where it replaced
Claudia
XI
. After the Dacian invasion of 86,
Domitian
moved the legion to Moesia Superior, in
Singidunum
(modern
Belgrade
,
Serbia
), although there is some evidence of the presence of this legion, of one of its
vexillationes
in
Viminacium
(near modern-day
Kostolac
, Serbia), base of
Claudia
VII
.
In 88 the Fourth participated to the retaliation invasion of
Dacia
(see
Domitian's Dacian War
). It also participated in the
Dacian Wars
of
Trajan
, being victorious at the
Second Battle of Tapae
. The legion also participated at the final and decisive battle against the Dacians, conquering their capital,
Sarmisegetusa
.
Monuments of IV Flavia Felix have been found at
Aquincum
(Budapest). This suggests that a subunit replaced II Adiutrix during its absence during the wars of Lucius Verus against the Parthian empire (162-166).
In the
Marcomannic Wars
(166-180 AD), the fourth fought on the Danube against the Germanic tribes.
After the death of
Pertinax
, the IV
Flavia Felix
supported
Septimius Severus
against usurpers
Pescennius Niger
and
Clodius Albinus
.
The legion may have fought in one of the
several wars
against the
Sassanids
, but stayed in Moesia Superior until the first half of the 5th century.
This Roman Legion was featured in the beginning of the movie
Gladiator
where
Maximus Decimus Meridius
was the Legion general, leading the campaign in Germania against the
Marcomanni
.
Legio septima
Claudia Pia Fidelis
(
Seventh
Claudian
Legion
) was a
Roman legion
.
Its emblem, as well as of all Caesar's legions, was the bull
, together with the lion.
The 7th, along with the
6th
,
8th
&
9th
were all founded by Pompey in Spain in 65 BC. They were ordered to
Cisalpine Gaul
around 58 BC by
Julius Caesar
, and marched with him throughout the entire Gallic Wars.
Legio VII was one of the two legions used in
Caesar's invasions of Britain
, and played a crucial role in The
Battle of Pharsalus
in 48 BC, and it existed at least until the end of the 4th century, guarding middle
Danube
.
Tiberius Claudius Maximus
the Roman soldier who brought the head of
Decebalus
to emperor
Trajan
was serving in Legio VII Claudia.
Viminacium
(
VIMINACIVM
) was a major city (provincial capital) and military camp of the
Roman
province of
Moesia
(today's
Serbia
), and the capital of
Moesia Superior
. The site is located 12 km from the modern town of
Kostolac
in Eastern Serbia. The city dates back to the 1st century AD, and at its peak it is believed to have had 40.000 inhabitants, making it one of the biggest cities of that time. It lies on the Roman road
Via Militaris
. Viminacium was devastated by
Huns
in the 5th century, but was later rebuilt by
Justinian
. It was completely destroyed with the
arrival
of
Slavs
in the 6th century. Today, the archeological site occupies a total of 450 hectares, and contains remains of temples, streets, squares, amphitheatres, palaces, hippodromes and Roman baths.
Map of the Roman empire in AD 125, under emperor
Hadrian
Legio VII Claudia
and
Legio IIII Flavia Felix
stationed on the river
Danube
at
Viminacium
(Kostolac, Serbia), in
Moesia Superior
province, from AD 58 until the 4th century
History
The remains of Viminacium, the capital of the Roman province of
Moesia Superior
, are located on territories of the villages of Stari Kostolac and Drmno, about 12 km from the town of
Kostolac
and about 90 miles southeast of
Belgrade
. Viminacium was one of the most important Roman cities and military camps in the period from 1st to 4th centuries. Its exceptional strategic importance was reflected both in the defense of the northern border of the Roman empire and in turn of communications and commercial transactions. No less appealing to the Romans was the hinterland of the
Mlava
river valley, which is rich in ore and grains. In Roman times, the town on the northern side of relying directly on the branch of the
Danube
, while the western side, touching the walls Mlava rivers. Only in the later period, Viminacium spread to the left bank of Mlava. Thanks to the location, land and waterways, Viminacium represented one of those areas where the encounter of cultures between East and West was inevitable. Although these roads were the primary military and strategic function, they are taking place throughout antiquity very lively traffic and certainly contributed to the very Viminacium become prosperous and an important trading and business headquarters. In Viminacium,
Roman legion VII Claudia
was stationed, and a nearby civilian settlement emerged from the military camp. In 117 during the reign of
Hadrian
it received city status. In the camp, 6.000 soldiers were stationed, and 30-40.000 lived nearby. In the first half of the 3rd century the city was in full development, as evidenced by the fact that at that time it acquired the status of a Roman colony, and the right to coin local money. Here, in 211,
Septimius Severus
was proclaimed emperor by his son
Caracalla
. In the mausoleum and the excavated tombs, the Roman emperor
Hostilian
, who died in 251, was buried.
A legion may have been stationed here as early as Augustus (27 BC-14 AD). In 33/34 AD a road was built, linking Viminacium and
Ratiaria
.
Claudius
(41-54) garrisoned Viminacium,
Oescus
and
Novae
as camps for the Moesian legions.
The first legion attested at Viminacium was the VII Claudia that came from Dalmatia in 52 AD .
Emperor Trajan
(98-117) was headquartered here during the
Dacian Wars
. It became a
colonia
with minting privilege in 239 AD during the rule of
Gordian III
(238-244) and housed the Legion VII and Legion IV.
Emperor
Hostilian
was the son of the emperor
Decius
, who was killed in the ambush near the ancient city of Abrutus located in present day Bulgaria. According to the old manuscript, emperor Hostilian and his mother came to Viminacium to supervise the organization of defense of northern borders, but both of them died of the plague. Because of the distance and the fear of spreading the plague, he was buried with all honors in Viminacium
Viminacium was the provincial capital of
Moesia Superior
. In the late spring of 293-294,
Diocletian
journeyed through his realm and he re-organized Viminacium as the capital of the new province of
Moesia Superior Margensis
. He registered that the people wrote in Latin, as opposed to Greek in the southern provinces. Viminacium was the base camp of
Claudia
Legio VII
, and hosted for some time the
Flavia Felix
IIII
. It had a Roman amphitheatre with room for 12,000 people.
In 382 the city was the meeting place between
Theodosius
and
Gratian
amidst the
Gothic Wars
.
Viminacium was destroyed in 441 by the
Attila the Hun
, but rebuilt by
Justinian I
. During
Maurice's Balkan campaigns
, Viminacium saw destruction by the
Avars
in 582 and a
crushing defeat
of Avar forces on the northern Danube bank in 599, destroying Avar reputation for invincibility.
Location and excavation
Viminacium is located in
Stari Kostolac
(Old
Kostolac
) a
Serbian
town on the
Danube
river, east of
Belgrade
. Viminacium is the location of the first archaeological excavation in Serbia, which started in 1882, by
Mihailo Valtrović
, an architect by profession and the first professor of archeology at the college in
Belgrade
. The only help he received was from 12 prisoners, because the state did not have enough resources to provide him with a better work force. His research was continued by
Miloje Vasić
, in the 1970s. It has intensified in the last ten years in the area of the Roman city of the Roman legionary camps and cemeteries. Many studies suggest that the military camp at Viminacium had a rectangular plan, measuring 442 x 385 meters, and that is not far from its western wall of civilian settlement in an area of approximately 72 acres. Legionary camp in Viminacium is now in a layer of arable land, so that wealth Viminacium easily accessible to researchers, but, unfortunately, and the robbers.The National Museum in
Belgrade
and
Požarevac
kept some 40,000 items found in Viminacium, of which over 700 made of gold and silver. Among them are many objects that represent the European and world rarities invaluable.
It has been discovered and more than 13,500 graves. Tombstones and sarcophagi are often decorated with relief representations of scenes from mythology or daily life. We have found numerous grave masonry construction. Especially interesting are the frescoes of the 4th-century tombs.
Fresco
with the notion of young women in artistic value of the extreme range of late antique art. During the excavation, an amphitheater, which with its 12,000 seats was one of the largest in the
Balkans
="">
Philip I 'the Arab' - Emperor: 244-249 A.D.
Augustus: 244-249 A.D. | 244-247 A.D. (Sole Reign) | 247-249 A.D. (with Philip II) |
| Husband of Otacilia Severa | Father of Philip II | Son of Julius Marinus |
Marcus Julius Philippus
or
Philippus I Arabs
(c. 204–249), known in
English
as
Philip the Arab
or formerly (prior to World War II) in English as
Philip the Arabian
, was a
Roman Emperor
from 244 to 249.
//
Little is known about Philip's early life and political career. He was born in
Shahba
, about 55 miles southeast of
Damascus
, in the
Roman province
of
Syria
. Philip has the nickname "the Arab" because he had family who had originated in the
Arabian peninsula
, believed to be distant descendants of the prestigious Baleed family of
Aleppo
. Philip was the son of a Julius Marinus, a local Roman citizen, possibly of some importance. Many historians agree that he was of Arab descent who gained
Roman citizenship
through his father, a man of considerable influence. Many citizens from the provinces took Roman names upon acquiring citizenship. This makes tracing his Arabic blood line difficult. However, it is documented that Rome used the
Ghassan
tribe from the
Azd
of
Yemen
as vassals to keep the neighboring northern Arabs in check.
The name of Philip's mother is unknown, but sources refer to a brother,
Gaius Julius Priscus
, a member of the
Praetorian guard
under
Gordian III
(238–244). In 234, Philip married
Marcia Otacilia Severa
, daughter of a Roman Governor. They had two children: a son named Marcus Julius Philippus Severus (
Philippus II
) in 238 and according to numismatic evidence they had a daughter called Julia Severa or Severina, whom the ancient Roman sources don't mention.
Philip became a member of the
Pretorian Guard
during the reign of the emperor
Alexander Severus
, who was a Syrian. In ancient Rome the Pretorian Guard was closely associated with the emperor, serving among other things as the emperor's bodyguard.
Political career
In 243, during
Gordian III
's campaign against
Shapur I
of Persia, 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. While some claim that Philip conspired in his murder, other accounts (including one coming from the Persian point of view) state that Gordian died in battle. Whatever the case, Philip assumed the purple following Gordian's death. According to Edward Gibbon:
His rise from so obscure a station to the first dignities of the empire seems to prove that he was a bold and able leader. But his boldness prompted him to aspire to the throne, and his abilities were employed to supplant, not to serve, his indulgent master.
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
. He thus travelled west, after concluding a peace treaty with Shapur I, and left his brother Priscus as extraordinary ruler of the Eastern provinces. In Rome he was confirmed
Augustus
, and nominated his young son
Caesar
and heir.
Philip's rule started with yet another
Germanic
incursion on the provinces of
Pannonia
and the
Goths
invaded
Moesia
(modern-day
Serbia
and
Bulgaria
) in the
Danube
frontier. They were finally defeated in the year 248, but the
legions
were not satisfied with the result, probably due to a low share of the plunder, if any. Rebellion soon arose and
Tiberius Claudius Pacatianus
was proclaimed emperor by the troops. The uprising was crushed and Philip nominated
Gaius Messius Quintus Decius
as governor of the province. Future events would prove this to be a mistake. Pacatianus' revolt was not the only threat to his rule: in the East,
Marcus Jotapianus
led another uprising in response to the oppressive rule of
Priscus
and the excessive taxation of the Eastern provinces. Two other usurpers,
Marcus Silbannacus
and
Sponsianus
, are reported to have started rebellions without much success.
In April
A.D.
248 (April 1000
A.U.C.
), Philip had the honour of leading the celebrations of the one thousandth birthday of Rome, which according to tradition was
founded
in 753 BC by
Romulus
. He combined the anniversary with the celebration of Rome's alleged tenth
saeculum
. According to contemporary accounts, the festivities were magnificent and included spectacular games,
ludi saeculares
, and theatrical presentations throughout the city. In the coliseum, more than 1,000 gladiators were killed along with hundreds of exotic animals including hippos, leopards, lions, giraffes, and one rhinoceros. The events were also celebrated in literature, with several publications, including
Asinius Quadratus
's
History of a Thousand Years
, specially prepared for the anniversary.
Despite the festive atmosphere, discontent in the legions was growing.
Decius
(249–251) was proclaimed Emperor by the Danubian armies in the spring of 249 and immediately marched to Rome. 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. Philip's eleven-year-old son and heir may have been killed with his father and Priscus disappeared without a trace.
Religious beliefs
Further information:
Philip the Arab and Christianity
Some later traditions, first mentioned in the historian
Eusebius
in his
Ecclesiastical History
, held that Philip was the first
Christian
Roman emperor. This tradition seems to be based on reports in Eusebius that Philip allegedly had once entered a Christian service on Easter, after having been required by a bishop to confess his sins. Later versions located this event in Antioch.
However, historians generally identify the later Emperor Constantine, baptised on his deathbed, as the first Christian emperor, and generally describe Philip's adherence to Christianity as dubious, because non-Christian writers do not mention the fact, and because throughout his reign, Philip to all appearances (coinage, etc.) continued to follow the
state religion
. Critics ascribe Eusebius' claim as probably due to the tolerance Philip showed towards Christians.
Saint Quirinus of Rome
was, according to a legendary account, the son of Philip the Arab.
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