As the Son of Philip the Arab, he was Caesar aged 7, Consul and Augustus, joint ruler of the Empire aged 10, and dead at 12. There appears to be 2 schools of thought regarding his death. Firstly, that he was killed with his Father. Secondly, that when news of Philip the Arabs death filtered through, the Praetorian Guard killed him in order to get the Emperor they wanted. Either way, a short but eventful life. This coin, received today, shows Philip I and II together on the reverse. A wonderful coin which I am very happy to have acquired. Marcus Julius Severus Philippus (Philip the younger). Struck under Philip I Philip II, AR antoninianus. 22.4 mm, 4.91 g.(Thick flan), Rome mint, 249AD. IMP PHILIPPVS AVG, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / LIBERALITAS AVGG III, Philip I, holding short sceptre, and Philip II seated left on curule chairs, extending right hands. RIC 230; RSC 17, Sear 9265. Appears to be reverse die match to example held by American Numismatic Society, http://numismatics.org/collection/1957.172.754
Here's a Philip II AR Antoninianus from my "captives" collection (ex Adrian Lang Collection): Philip II AR Antoninianus (23mm, 3.80g, 6h), Rome, 247 CE. Obv: M IVL PHILIPPVS CAES. Radiate and draped bust of Philip II to right, seen from behind. Rev: PRINCIPI IVVENT. Philip II holding globe & inverted spear; beneath, Eastern captive wearing point cap, seated left. Ref: RIC 219 Prov: Ex Adrian Lang Collection, Leu WA 21 (19 Jul 2022), 4737 [their photo] A favorite Provincial of mine is a Philip II, and may have a connection to his death. RPC Temp 69113 (specimen 6) This coin is from Macedon, Thessalonica, a city that bore the important title of a "Neokorate" city, meaning it had favored status with Rome. (It also celebrates the city's second Pythian Games: "·ΠΥΘΙΑΔΙ· ·B·".) Under the successors of Philip I & Philip II, Trajan Decius & sons, who overthrew the Philippi, though, the city was bumped up to an unprecedented "Quadruple Neokorate." The only plausible explanation is that the city sided with the Decii and somehow assisted them in the civil, and was thus rewarded mightily. (See, e.g., Curtis Clay's comments in H.J. Berk 201st Buy Bid Sale [Catalog], Lot 377 [ACS].)
The father may have thought that he was creating a dynasty and was giving his son a great gift, but, at this time in Roman history, he was committing his son to an early death. Let us not forget that Philip I killed or had killed Gordian I at a young age to become emperor. It’s sort of like what comes around goes around, but they all kept reaching for the brass or, in Rome’s case, the purple ring.
