Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 3.djvu/297

Rh PHILIPPUS. metrius had the effect of arousing the jealousy both of Philip himself and of his eldest son, Perseus ; and from henceforth the disputes between the two brothers embittered the declining years of the king [Demetrius, p. 966]. Many other causes com- bined to the same effect ; and the intrigues which the Romans were perpetually carrying on among his subjects and followers naturally aggravated the suspicious and jealous turn which his temper had by this time assumed. He was conscious of having alienated the affections of his own subjects by many acts of injustice and cruelty, and he now sought to diminish the number of the disaffected by the barbarous expedient of putting to death the children of all those whom he had previously sa- crificed to his vengeance or suspicions (Liv. xxxix. 53, xl. 3 — 5). But while he was thus rendering himself the object of universal hatred at home, he was unremitting in his preparations for the renewal of the war with Rome. By way of disguising the real object of his levies and armaments, which was, however, no secret for the Romans, he undertook an expedition against the barbarian tribes of Pae- onia and Maedica, and advanced as far as the highest ridge of Mount Haemus. It was during this expedition that Perseus succeeded in effecting the object for which he had been so long intriguing, and having by means of forged letters convinced the king of the guilt of Demetrius, induced him to consent to the execution of the unhappy prince. But Philip was unable to stifle the feelings of grief and remorse occasioned by this deed, and these passions broke forth with renewed violence when he afterwards discovered the deceit that had been practised upon him, and learnt that his son had been unjustly sacrificed to the jealousy of his elder brother. He believed himself to be haunted by the avenging spirit of Demetrius, and was medi- tating the punishment of Perseus for his perfidy, by excluding him from the throne in favour of his cousin Antigonus, the son of Echecrates, when he himself fell sick at Amphipolis, more from the effects of grief and remorse than any bodily ailment, and died shortly after, imprecating curses in his last moments upon the head of Perseus. His death took place before the end of b. c. 179, in the 59th year of his age, after a reign of nearly 42 years "(Liv. xl. 6, 16, 21—24, 54—56 ; Polyb. xxiv. 7, 8 ; Euseb Arm. p. 158 ; Dexippus ap. Syncell. p. 508 ; Clinton, F. H. vol. ii. p. 243). The character of Philip may be summed up in the remark of the impartial Polybius (x. 26) that there are few raonarchs of whom more good or more evil could justly be said. His naturally good qualities were gradually eclipsed and overgrown by evil tendencies, and he is a striking, though by no means a solitary, example of a youth full of hopeful promise degenerating by degrees into a gloomy and suspicious tyrant. Of his military and political abilities the history of his reign affords sufficient proof, notwithstanding occasional intervals of ap- parent apathy and inaction for which it is difficult to account. He was also a fluent a«d ready speaker, and possessed a power of repartee which he loved to indulge in a manner not always con- sistent with kingly dignity (Polyb. xvii. 4 ; Liv. xxxii. 34, xxxvi. 14). In addition to the darker stains of perfidy and cruelty, his private character was disgraced by the most unbridled licentiousness, as well as by habitual excesses in drinking. (Polyb. X. 26, xx>i. 5 ; Liv. xxvii. 30.) PHILIPPUS. 285 Besides his two sons already mentioned, lie left a third son, named Philip (but whether legitimate or not we are not informed), who could have been born but a few years before the death of his father. [Philippus, No. 25,J (In addition to the ancient authorities cited in the course of the above narrative, the reign and character of Phihp will be found fully discussed and examined by Schorn, Gesch. Gi-iechenlands, Bonn, 1833 ; Flathe, Gesch. Macedoniens, vol. ii. ; Thirlwall's Greece^ vol. viii. chap. 63 — 66 ; and Brandstatter, Gesch. des Aetolisc/ien Bundes, Berlin, 1844.) [E. H. B.] COIN OF PHILIPPUS V. KING OP MACEDONIA, PHILIPPUS, MA'RCIUS. L Q. Marcius Q. F. Q. N. Philippus, consul b. c. 281, with L, Aemilius Barbula, had to carry on war with the Etruscans, and had a triumph on the 1st of April on account of his victory over them. In B. c. 263 he was magister equitum to the dictator Cn. Fulvius Maximus Centumalus (Fasti Capit.). 2. L. Marcius Q. f. Philippus, the father of No. 3, formed a hospitable connection with Philip v., king of Macedonia (Liv. xlii. 38), though on what occasion is not mentioned. This fact is alluded to in the annexed coin of the Marcia gens, which bears on the obverse the head of the Macedonian monarch, and on the reverse l. philippvs, with a horseman galloping, probably in reference to the name. One is disposed to think that this L, Marcius was the first person of the gens who obtained the surname of Philippus in consequence of his con- nection with the king of Macedonia, and that the Fasti erroneously give this cognomen to the consul of B.C. 281. 3. Q. Marcius L. f. Q. n. Philippus, son of No. 2, was praetor b. c. 1 88, and obtained Sicily as his province. Two years afterwards, b. c. 186, he was consul with Sp. Postumius Albinus. These consuls were commanded by the senate to conduct the celebrated inquiry into the worship of Bac- chus, which had been secretly introduced into Italy and been the occasion of much immorality and profanity. We accordingly find the name of Phi- lippus in the senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, which has come down to us. After Philippus had finished his share in these investigations, he set out for Liguria, where he and his colleague had to carry on war. Here, however, he was unsuccess- ful. In the country of the Apuani, he was sur- prised by the enemy in a narrow pass, and lost