Gaius Iulius Philopappus

Bronze coin of Philopappus from Selinus-Cilicia-14mm

Gaius Iulius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappus (* before 72 in Besa ; † after 116) was a Roman senator and Euerget ("benefactor") of the city of Athens in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD Philopappus ("who loves his grandfather") came from the Attic Demos Besa and was a Commagenic prince - his grandfather Antiochus IV was the last king of Commagene. Philopappus' father Epiphanes and his brother Kallinikos led a "Bellum Commagenicum" defensive battle against the Roman troops from 72 ; nevertheless they could not prevent Kommagene from entering the Roman province in 74has been. Emperor Vespasian forgave the family and took them to Rome, where they lived an honorable life. Philopappus had a sister, Julia Balbilla , who accompanied Emperor Hadrian to Egypt in 130 as court poet .

Mausoleum of Philopappus

Philopappus himself was titular king , Archon of Athens and Agonothetes (competition organizer) between 75/76 and 87/88 and Arval brother . Under Emperor Trajan , Philopappus was admitted to the praetors , so that he was able to hold the suffect consulate in 109 .

The only portrait that has been preserved and confirmed by him is on a small bronze coin from Selinus in Cilicia, which shows him as a child and was probably minted in the Commagenian War of 72. The royal family probably owned an estate there.

As a benefactor of the city of Athens, the Athenian citizens erected the Philopappos Monument on the hill that is named after him today .

literature

• Hans Volkmann : Philopappos. In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 4, Stuttgart 1972, Col. 777 f.
• Elke Krengel: Philopappos from Selinus / Kilikien , in: The Numismatic Society of Berlin, Festschrift for the 150th anniversary , Berlin 1993, pp. 69–73 (pdf, accessed on July 21, 2019).