Philip II ( la, Marcus Julius Severus Philippus; 237 – 249), also known as Philip the Younger, was the son and heir of the Roman emperor

Philip the Arab Philip the Arab ( la, Marcus Julius Philippus "Arabs"; 204 – September 249) was Roman emperor from 244 to 249. He was born in Aurantis, Arabia, in a city situated in modern-day Syria. After the death of Gordian III in February 244, Philip, ...

by his wife

Marcia Otacilia Severa Marcia Otacilia Severa was the Empress of Rome and wife of Emperor Philip the Arab, who reigned over the Roman Empire from 244 to 249. Biography Early life She was a member of the ancient gens Otacilia, of consular and senatorial rank. Her ...

Life

When his father became emperor in 244, the 7-year-old Philip was appointed ''caesar''. In 247 he became

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...

, and was later elevated by his father to the rank of ''

augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

'' and co-ruler. The thousandth anniversary of the

founding of Rome The tale of the founding of Rome is recounted in traditional stories handed down by the ancient Romans themselves as the earliest history of their city in terms of legend and myth. The most familiar of these myths, and perhaps the most famous o ...

occurred during their reign and great games and spectacles were planned for the celebration. Ancient historians say that Philip the Arab and Philip II were both killed in battle by

Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius ( 201 ADJune 251 AD), sometimes translated as Trajan Decius or Decius, was the emperor of the Roman Empire from 249 to 251. A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was procl ...

in 249. Modern historians say that when news of Philip the Arab's death reached Rome, Philip II was murdered by the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort fo ...

at the age of twelve.

Aurelius Victor Sextus Aurelius Victor (c. 320 – c. 390) was a historian and politician of the Roman Empire. Victor was the author of a short history of imperial Rome, entitled ''De Caesaribus'' and covering the period from Augustus to Constantius II. The work ...

, '' Epitome de Caesaribus''. xxviii. Some argue that Philip II was sole ruler of the empire for the

fall Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southe ...

of 249.

References

External links

roman-emperors.org

238 births 249 deaths Ancient child rulers Ancient Roman murder victims Imperial Roman consuls 3rd-century Roman emperors Philippus Severus, Marcus Philip the Arab 3rd-century murdered monarchs Arabs in the Roman Empire 3rd-century Arabs Roman emperors murdered by the Praetorian Guard Sons of Roman emperors {{AncientRome-politician-stub Rulers who died as children