PHILIP I "THE ARAB" (244-249)

"Roma Aeternae – The Eternal City" Philip I, known as Philip the Arab, hailed from Trachonitis, a region in southern Syria within the province of Arabia Petraea. During the reign of Gordian III, he was one of Rome's most prominent commanders. In mid-February 244 CE, the Roman army suffered a defeat at the hands of Shapur I’s forces. In the precarious aftermath, a new emperor needed to be chosen swiftly, and Philip was the selected candidate.

Philip’s foremost priority became extracting the Roman forces from Persia. He negotiated a treaty with Shapur, paying an enormous ransom and conceding Armenia to the Persian sphere of influence. In 245 CE, he marched to the Danube, where the Carpi, supported by the Goths, were crossing the river from Dacia. Philip drove the barbarians back and pursued them into Dacia. By the summer of 246 CE, the campaign concluded with a Roman victory.