Portrait of Philip The Arab at The State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg

myminifactory

Philip the Arab rose from a barbarian family. To seize power he turned to the army and used all tactics at his disposal - from defamation to murder. After eliminating Emperor Gordianus III, who ruled from 238-244, Philip secured the top spot; it was during his reign that Rome celebrated its millennium in 247. The Emperor is depicted wearing a tunic and toga, with straight folds that fail to convey any texture of the fabric; short notches represent hair and beard, while facial features are generalized; there's no fine detail on the surface. Yet this weathered face must be a true likeness according to Roman portraiture traditions. The asymmetry of features conveys a sense of liveliness, combining will and cruelty with suspicion and hidden fear. A simplified yet expressive plastic language emerged in Roman art due to the influence of barbarian provinces and was consistent with the tastes of the Empire's new rulers.