Flavius Philippus

Flavius Philippus (fl. 340s-350s) was an official under the Roman Emperor Constantius II.

Biography

Coin of Emperor Constantius II. Philippus rose in Constantius' consideration, up to receiving the rank of Praetorian Prefect for the East, possibly because of the influence of Constantius' eunuchs.

Son of a sausage-maker, Philippus rose in social standing, becoming a notarius.[1] In 346, he became Praetorian Prefect of the East[2] under Emperor Constantius, allegedly because of the influence of the court eunuchs.[3] Philippus then obtained the consulate in 348.

Coin of the usurper. Magnentius who kept prisoner Philippus, when the Praetorian Prefect came to the usurper's camp to discover the military readiness of Constantius' enemy.

In 351, when Constantius was facing the rebellion of the usurper Magnentius, Philippus was sent to the rebel camp, formally to negotiate a peace, but actually to discover the military readiness of the enemy.[4] Philippus then addressed the rebel army, accusing them of ingratitude towards the Constantinian dynasty, and proposing that Magnentius leave Italy and keep only Gaul. When Magnentius tried to take the town of Siscia, Philippus was held hostage by the usurper.[5]

It is unknown whom he married, but his grandson, Flavius Anthemius, also became Praetorian Prefect of the East.

References

1. Libanius, Orationes, xlii.24-25.
2. A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, entry on Theodosius II
3. Libanius, Orationes, lxxii.11.
4. Zosimus, ii.46.2.
5. Zosimus, ii.46.2-4.

Primary sources

• Libanius, Orationes, xlii, lxxii.
• Zosimus, Historia Nova, ii.46.2-4.

Secondary sources

• Morris, John; Arnold Hugh Martin Jones; John Robert Martindale (1992). The prosopography of the later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press. pp. 696–697. ISBN 0-521-07233-6.