Beautiful Egypt 27 – Military Emperors – October, 27, 2013

   In the previous article, we tackled Alexander Severus Caesar, who was concerned about building the empire, tending his people and working on their interests, he also used to develop the talented makers. In his days, Egypt lived in prosperity, progress and sophistication, and his successor was Maximinus Caesar, the first among the emperors of the barracks – a title given to the military emperors ruled over Rome from 235 AD until 284 AD – who was removed by the people. Followed on the throne Gordian the Father, joined by Gordian the Son, yet they were killed in their battle against Cappellianus, one of the Roman governors. Poppianus and Poppinus assumed the power afterwards, Maximinus attempted to enter Rome to fight them, yet he failed and was killed by his soldiers who had revolted against him. After the murder of both Poppianus and Poppinus, Gordian III – the grandson of Gordian I and the nephew of Gordian II – assumed the power.

   The military emperors’ rule is considered a period of political, economic and social weakness to Rome; the emperors assumed the power because they had been commanders of the Roman Praetorian Guards. It is hard to follow up with the works of many of these emperors due to their rapid change. Some of them stayed for only months on the throne. In this period, Egypt’s political influence had decreased, while Egypt’s economic influence over Rome was majorly negative, due to the spread of poverty and the decrease of agricultural production, so Egypt did not send to Rome wheat crops which Rome used to depend on, taxes were impacted, and this made Rome avoid engaging in wars because it needed the money to be spent in wars.

Gordian III Caesar (238 – 244 AD)

   He was crowned emperor of Rome while he was thirteen! Due to the soldiers and the roman Senate’s love for his family, the Roman Senate and Gordian’s mother assisted him in ruling the country.

   The country’s affairs went well internally as well as in the face of external threats. In 240 AD, Marcus Athenius Sabinianus, the governor of Africa province, revolted against the emperor and proclaimed himself an emperor, but his rebellion was successfully suppressed.

   Then, in 241 AD, Gordian III appointed a Commander of the Praetorian Guard, whose name was Timessius; whose daughter got married later to Gordian. Timessius’ role in this period was important; the Persian armies attacked the eastern territories of the Roman Empire, so Gordian and Timessius prepared an army to repel the aggression and crushingly defeated the Persians.

   In the meantime, Timessius was sick and died, so his deputy, Philip, who was of Arab origin got appointed instead of him. It was rumored that Philip poisoned Timessius and killed him in order to succeed him in the command of the Praetorian Guard. However, Philip’s ambitions were much greater; he desired to rule the entire empire. He worked on attaining this by laying seeds of sedition and clashes among the soldiers until they killed Emperor Gordian III and he assumed the throne of Rome.

   Egypt had no role at all in the events the empire went through in that period, it was ready to accept any ruler.

Philip Caesar (244 – 249 AD)

   He was known as Philip the Arab for he was born in the Roman province of Arabia. He became an official in the Republican Guard until he became Caesar of Rome. During his reign, the city of Rome celebrated its millennium. Between 245 and 246 AD, he left Rome to lead the army against the Germanic tribes – the tribes resided in the areas adjacent to the Roman Empire and were constant raiders on the empire. In 247 AD, Philip Caesar, allowed his son to join him in the reign of Rome, and appointed him a Caesar as well. In 248 AD, Philip sent Decius, one of his commanders, to train the Roman armies in the Danube, but he was proclaimed emperor by these armies. Philip led his armies to fight him near the city of Verona and he died there. Historically, Philip’s death was not confirmed to be whether in the battle or killed by his soldiers.

   Philip Caesar was tolerant, merciful and just with the Christians; he granted them full freedom to practice their religious rituals. This resulted in a severe persecution by Decius, Philip’s successor to the throne. Some historians said that Decius’ strong hatred of his predecessor, Philip, was the cause of his persecution to Christians.

   As for Egypt under his reign; the south witnessed some disturbances caused by the Nubian tribes as they raided on southern Aswan, but the Roman authorities confronted them until they fled from the Egyptian borders.

Decius Caesar (249 – 251 AD)

   Decius Caesar was of Austrian origins. His family was not a well-known one, yet he became a consular; for his wide knowledge, literature and personal skills. History describes Decius as a blood shedder, full of treachery and betrayal. His days were filled with tribulations, sedition, turmoil and divisions, in which so much blood was shed.

   He had engaged in many wars against the adjacent countries to the empire, they had all united against him, so he moved to fight them with a great army, achieving a victory at first until they asked for reconciliation, but his arrogance and pride refused to agree on reconciliation, and thus, the battles continued until he was crushingly defeated and perished with most of his armies.

   Among his atrocities was that he persecuted Christians in an unprecedented manner; some historians even mentioned his reign as the first confrontation between Roman emperors and Christians after Nero. In 250 AD he issued an edict to all rulers throughout the empire, necessitating the return of the pagan state religion, whatever the cost was. The first result of this edict – which is considered the first comprehensive persecution of Christianity throughout the empire, after the persecution had varied from a place to another and from a time to another, according to the governor of the state – was having many Christians killed; some were crucified, some had their organs cut off, some had their bodies combed with iron teeth, others had their homes looted, and they passed through unbearable deeds!

   Decius forced the Egyptians to give a proof – a signed certificate that they had offered sacrifices on the imperial altar to confirm their submission to the emperor regarding their worship – and those who would not do so will certainly die. Christians had to choose; either to perform these pagan rituals, sacrificing to the pagan gods – as evidence on their loyalty to the emperor and the empire – or to die. Traces of such proofs and evidences were found in Fayoum and contained the following:

   First: A copy of the application submitted by the person: [To the sacrificial officers in the village of Iskander Island: from Aurelius Diogenes Ben Stabus from the village of Iskender Island – 72 years old – with a scar on his right eyebrow. I have always sacrificed to the gods, and I have done so now in your presence according to the edict. I sacrificed, poured out the spoils, and tasted from the sacrifices. I plead you to bear witness to that, and peace be with you].

   Second: The signature of the sacrifice offering person: [Submitted by Aurelius Diogenes]. Third: In conclusion, the signature of the ruler who witnessed the sacrifice offered by this man and the date of the event: [I bear witness that I saw him offering a sacrifice. Aurelius Sears, on the second of Abib (June 26, 250 AD) in the first year of the Emperor Decius’ rule].

   The authorities were more harsh and cruel in persecuting church leaders and servants. History reveals that among those who were martyred during this period of persecution were St. Philopater Mercurius Abu Sifien (the holder of two swords), Roman Fabianus, Papilas of Antioch and Alexander of Jerusalem.

   Philopater – meaning the lover of the Father – was born nearly in 224 AD of pagan parents. His father, Gordianus, was a Roman officer, a brave and successful soldier who followed Christianity during a hunting trip when God saved him from two wild beasts. Upon his return, Gordianus and his family were baptized. When the news of the family’s conversion to Christianity reached the prince then, he summoned him and his family and threw them to the beasts… and…

Stories about Egypt never end!

The General Bishop

Head of Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center