Philip the Arab in the context of "Founding of Rome"

Ab urbe condita (Latin: [ab ˈʊrbɛ ˈkɔndɪtaː]; 'from the founding of the City'), or anno urbis conditae (Latin: [ˈannoː ˈʊrbɪs ˈkɔndɪtae̯]; 'in the year since the city's founding'), abbreviated as AUC or AVC, expresses a date in years since 753 BC, the traditional founding of Rome. It is an expression used in antiquity and by classical historians to refer to a given year in Ancient Rome. In reference to the traditional year of the foundation of Rome, the year 1 BC would be written AUC 753, whereas AD 1 would be AUC 754. The foundation of the Roman Empire in 27 BC would be AUC 727. The current year AD 2025 would be AUC 2778.

Usage of the term was more common during the Renaissance, when editors sometimes added AUC to Roman manuscripts they published, giving the false impression that the convention was commonly used in antiquity. In reality, the dominant method of identifying years in Roman times was to name the two consuls who held office that year. In late antiquity, regnal years were also in use, as in Roman Egypt during the Diocletian era after AD 293, and in the Byzantine Empire from AD 537, following a decree by Justinian.

The Battle of Verona was fought between the Roman general and usurper Decius, and emperor Philip the Arab in 249. Decius was victorious and Philip and his son Philip II were both killed. Decius was subsequently declared Roman emperor.

Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius (c. 201 – June 251), known as Trajan Decius or simply Decius (/ˈdiːʃiəs/), was Roman emperor from 249 to 251.

A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was proclaimed emperor by his troops after putting down a rebellion in Moesia. In 249, he defeated and killed Philip near Verona and was recognized as emperor by the Senate afterwards. During his reign, he attempted to strengthen the Roman state and its religion, leading to the Decian persecution, where a number of prominent Christians (including Pope Fabian) were put to death. In the last year of his reign, Decius co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus, until they were both killed by the Goths in the Battle of Abritus.

Pacatianus, known in English as Pacatian (/ˈpəkeɪʃ(i)ən/; Latin: Tiberius Claudius Mar[...] Pacatianus; died c. 248) was a usurper in the Danube area of the Roman Empire during the time of Philip the Arab. His praenomen and nomen suggest his ancestors obtained Roman citizenship either during the time of Tiberius or of Claudius.

His life is known from mentions in the histories of Zosimus and Zonaras. However, the chronology of these accounts is obscure, and modern scholars use coinage to establish the timeline of his life and revolt. Zonaras names him as a 'unit commander' of one of the Danube legions, possibly Legio VII Claudia. He was likely a leader in the effort to drive Gothic invaders out of Roman territory in 248, one of the first actions of the Gothic War. Either during this action or soon after he was acclaimed emperor by the Danube legions. Eventually his control extended to the city of Viminacium. According to Zosimus, the news of Pacatian's revolt in Moesia and of Jotapian's near-simultaneous revolt in Syria prompted Philip to make an offer to the Roman Senate to step down. Both Zosimus and Zonoras relate that Philip was advised by the senator Decius, who predicted that Pacatian would soon be killed by his troops. This soon came to pass, and Philip (over Decius' objections) sent Decius to the Danube to find out the causes of the revolt. Decius was promptly acclaimed as emperor by the legions on the Danube, and (though Zonaras records that Decius offered to resign) eventually overcame Philip by the end of 249.

Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius (died c. June 251), known simply as Herennius Etruscus, was briefly Roman emperor in 251, ruling jointly under his father Decius. His father was proclaimed emperor by his troops in September 249 while in Pannonia and Moesia, in opposition to Philip. Decius defeated Philip in battle, and was then proclaimed emperor by the Senate. Etruscus, still a child, was elevated to Caesar (heir) in 250, then further raised to Augustus (emperor) in May 251. When the Goths, under Cniva, invaded the Danubian provinces, he was sent with a vanguard, followed by the main body of Roman troops, led by Decius. They ambushed Cniva at the Battle of Nicopolis ad Istrum in 250, routing him, before being ambushed and routed themselves at the Battle of Beroe. Etruscus was killed in the Battle of Abritus the following year, alongside his father. After the deaths of both emperors, Trebonianus Gallus, who had been governor of Moesia, was elected emperor by the remaining Roman forces.

Philostratus or Lucius Flavius Philostratus (/fɪˈlɒstrətəs/; Ancient Greek: Φιλόστρατος Philostratos; c. 170s – 240s AD), called "the Athenian", was a Greek sophist of the Roman imperial period. His father was a minor sophist of the same name. He flourished during the reign of Septimius Severus (193–211) and died during that of Philip the Arab (244–249), probably in Tyre.

The Arab migrations to the Levant involved successive waves of migration and settlement by Arab people in the Levant region of West Asia, encompassing modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. The process took place over several centuries, lasting from ancient time to the modern period. The Arab migrants hailed from various parts of the Middle East, particularly the Arabian Peninsula. In the 9th century BCE, the Assyrians made written references to Arabs among the inhabitants of Levant and Arabia.

Several notable Arab kingdoms, peoples and principalities were established in the Levant since ancient times such as the Nabatean Kingdom in southern Levant 3rd century BC, Itureans north of the Galilee in late Hellenistic period, in Palmyra Arabs alongside Arameans formed a major ethnic group of its native population. notable influential local Arab dynasties and kings also emerged from the Levant such as the Emesene dynasty in modern day Homs and the Roman emperor Philip the Arab.