Ancient Coin of the Day: Today’s thread is for Rome’s birthday, and we’re taking a look at some of the coins of Philip the Arab, during whose reign Rome’s 1000th birthday rolled round in AD 248.

#ACOTD #NatalediRoma

Image: RIC IV Philip I 118. Link - http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.4.ph_i.118

Marcus Julius Philippus, more commonly known as Philip the Arab(ian), was emperor of Rome AD 244-249, achieving the throne in the aftermath of Gordian III's disastrous campaign against Shapur I of Persia.

Image: State Hermitage Museum (ГР-1709). Link - https://www.hermitagemuseum.org/wps/portal/hermitage/digital-collection/06.%20Sculpture/770/

Certainly Philip was conscious of the significant anniversary of Rome which was to fall within his reign on 21 April AD 248 and much of his coinage, including the aureus at the head of this thread celebrated the idea of this new era.

The Obverse of this coin shows a portrait of Otacilia Severa, Philip’s wife, celebrating her significance to the imperial ideology accompanying this new era.

The Reverse is even more explicit with its Legend SAECVLVM NOVVM – ‘The New Age’ – surrounding a hexastyle temple with a statue of Roma seated within.

Philip’s coinage was also deployed in AD 248 to commemorate the lavish games, a set of Ludi Saeculares, which he sponsored to celebrate the anniversary of Rome.

Image: RIC IV Philip I 12; ANS 1922.40.4. Link - http://numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric.4.ph_i.12