Everything about Odaenathus totally explained
Lucius Septimius Odaenathus, or
Odenatus (
Greek: Οδαίναθος (Hodainathos), (
Arabic: أذينة = little ear
Othayna), the Latinized form of
Odainath, was a ruler of the Arab kingdom of
Palmyra,
Syria and later of the short lived
Palmyrene Empire, in the second half of the
3rd century, who succeeded in recovering the Roman East from the
Persians and restoring it to the Empire.
His full name was Lucius Septimius Odainath. His gentilicium Septimius shows that his family received the
Roman citizenship under an emperor of the
Severan dynasty, and thus it was the leading family in Palmyra since the
190s. He was the son of Lucius Septimius Herod (Hairān), the "senator and chief of Tadmor", the son of Vaballathus (Wahballath), the son of Nasor.
The year when Odaenathus became chief of Palmyra isn't known, but already in an inscription dated 258 he's styled "the illustrious consul our lord" (
N.S.I. No. 126). In his wife, the renowned
Zenobia, he found an able supporter of his policy.
The defeat and captivity of the emperor
Valerian in
260 left the eastern provinces largely at the mercy of the Persians; the prospect of Persian supremacy wasn't one which Palmyra or its ruler had any reason to desire. At first, it seems, Odaenathus attempted to propitiate the Persian monarch
Shapur I; but when his gifts were contemptuously rejected (Petr. Patricius, 10) he decided to throw in his lot with the cause of Rome. The neutrality which had made Palmyra's fortune was abandoned for an active military policy which, while it added to Odaenathus's fame, in a short time brought his native city to its ruin. He fell upon the victorious Persians returning home after the sack of Antioch, and before they could cross the Euphrates inflicted upon them a considerable defeat.
Then, when two usurping emperors were proclaimed in the East (261), Odaenathus took the side of
Gallienus the son and successor of Valerian, attacked and put to death the usurper
Quietus at Emesa (modern
Homs) and was rewarded for his loyalty by the grant of an exceptional position (262). He may have assumed the title of king before; but he now became
totius Orientis imperator, not indeed joint-ruler, nor Augustus, but independent lieutenant of the emperor for the East (
Mommsen,
Provinces, ii. p. 103).
In a series of rapid and successful campaigns, during which he left Palmyra under the charge of Septimius Worod his deputy (N.S.I. Nos. 127-129), he crossed the
Euphrates and relieved
Edessa, recovered
Nisibis and Carrhae (modern
Harran). He even took the offensive against the power of Persia, and twice invested the Persian capital
Ctesiphon itself; probably also he brought back
Armenia into the Empire. These successes restored the Roman rule in the East; and Gallienus didn't disdain to hold a triumph with the captives and trophies which Odaenathus had won (264). Odaenathus celebrated his victories in the East sharing with his eldest son Hairan (Herodes) the eastern title "king of kings".
While observing all due formalities towards his overlord, there can be little doubt that Odaenathus aimed at forging an independent empire; but during his lifetime no breach with Rome occurred. He was about to start for
Cappadocia against the
Goths when he was assassinated, together with Hairan, by his nephew
Maeonius. There is no reason to suppose that this deed of violence was instigated from
Rome.
According to Historia Augusta,
Maeonius killed Odaenathus and his son Hairan during a celebration, because of a conspiracy organized by
Zenobia, second wife of Odaenathus, who wanted their son Vaballathus to succeed Odaenathus instead of Hairan (who was the son of Odaenathus by another woman). According to Gibbon, the murder was revenge for a short confinement imposed by Odaenathus to Maeonius for being unrespectful. After his death (266-267), Zenobia succeeded to his position and practically governed Palmyra on behalf of the young
Vaballathus.
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