Little is known about Philip's early life and political career. He was born in what is today Shahba, Syria, about southeast of Damascus, in Trachonitis. His birth city, later renamed Philippopolis, lay within Aurantis, an Arab district which at the time was part of the Roman province of Arabia. It is accepted by historians that Philip was indeed an ethnic Arab. He was the son of a local citizen, Julius Marinus, possibly of some importance. Allegations from later Roman sources ("Historia Augusta" and "Epitome de Caesaribus") that Philip had a very humble origin or even that his father was a leader of brigands are not accepted by modern historians.