Philippus II was about seven years old when his father Philipp Arabs became Roman emperor in 244 AD. Arabs made his son Caesar, sub-emperor, and in the year 249 Philippus became Augustus, co-emperor. That same year his father was killed in the struggle against the usurper (and later emperor) Decius. Philippus gave money to the soldiers and people of Rome to secure his reign, but was slain by the Pretorian Guard. He was twelve years old.
This coin shows Philippus as heir apparent. On the reverse he holds a globe and a spear.
The years from 244 to 270 are among the most chaotic in Roman history. More than a dozen men reaped the purple, only one of them died of a natural death.