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XVIII. Philip
- West Virginia University Press
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176 XVIII Philip Marcus Julius Philippus (r. 244–249), came from Bostra in Arabia Trachonitis and is often called “Philip the Arab” because of that, although he enlisted in the Roman army at an early age. He rose through the ranks, and when the young emperor, Gordian III, embarked on a campaign against Persia, soldiers loyal to Philip assassinated him and hailed Philip as emperor. Five years later a rebellion broke out among the legions of Moesia. Philip sent Decius to put it down, but Decius ended up taking control of those troops for his own ends, marching with them into Italy, and killing Philip after defeating him in a battle near Verona. Decius then became emperor himself. Very little is known about Philip as emperor except that he held elaborate celebrations for the thousandth-year anniversary of the founding of Rome. Early Christian historians called him the first emperor to become a Christian. This made him a model of good rulership for the Middle Ages and Decius a correspondingly bad one. the Book tells us that Philip then held the Empire. He was the first of our Christian faith to have won that power and honor. He made a praiseworthy king. The king became the father of a son and named him Philip also: good Saint Sixtus baptized him. The two of them, pope and king, made every effort eagerly to see who among the heathens could be converted, baptized, and instructed in the faith. In bringing this about they were tireless. Their spirits never faltered, and their minds were completely devoted to God. The two of them let earthly treasure and gain slip away from them for the sake of the heavenly kingdom. Decius was a terrible man. As quickly as he learned that King Philip had become a Christian, he turned violently resentful, for he was determined 177 that no sort of Christian should judge over the Empire. He ordered his vassals to appear before him, and to them he passionately complained about what had happened and commanded them to set up ambushes and lie in wait for Philip at all times. Wherever they heard he might be they were to surprise and capture him. One day, spies arrived and told Decius that the king was staying at a palace familiar to him. Decius was delighted to hear this and speedily made preparations and arrived at that palace: Decius with a horde of men; the king kneeling in prayer; Decius with weapons; the king with alms; Decius with armed force; the king with faithful simplicity; Decius seething with anger; the king with goodly love; Decius bringing destruction; the king concerned with saving his soul; Decius found the king true to his faith. With his own hand he sent father and son and others of the royal household altogether into God’s kingdom to receive abundant honors. Seven and a half years they had ruled. XIX Decius Sources friendly to Decius (r. 249-251) claim that he was proclaimed emperor against his will (see introduction to preceding chapter). After disposing of Philip, Decius was occupied mostly with fighting off the Goths, a conflict that put an end to his short reign when both he and his son were killed in battle. Decius was the first emperor to undertake a widespread and systematic persecution of Christians, hoping thereby to revitalize the ancient Roman religion. ...