Odaenathus
Encyclopedia
Lucius Septimius Odaenathus, Odenathus or Odenatus ' onMouseout='HidePop("99739")' href="/topics/Greek_language">Greek
: , ; ), the Latinized form of the Syriac Odainath, was a ruler 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.
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 is not known, but already in an inscription dated 258 he is 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 was not 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 invaded 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 did not 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 is considerable evidence that Odaenathus aimed at becoming emperor; but during his lifetime there was no conflict with Rome. He was about to start for Cappadocia
against the Goths
when he was assassinated, together with Hairan, by his nephew Maeonius
. There have been suggestions that this deed of violence was instigated by Rome
, but there is no evidence in the historical records to corroborate the charge.
According to Imperially biased 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). The more commonly accepted version, according to Gibbon, was that the murder was revenge for a short confinement imposed by Odaenathus to Maeonius for being disrespectful. After his death (266-267), Zenobia succeeded to his position and practically governed Palmyra on behalf of the young Vaballathus
.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: , ; ), the Latinized form of the Syriac Odainath, was a ruler of Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and later of the short lived Palmyrene Empire
Palmyrene Empire
The Palmyrene Empire was a splinter empire, that broke off of the Roman Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century. It encompassed the Roman provinces of Syria Palaestina, Egypt and large parts of Asia Minor....
, in the second half of the 3rd century, who succeeded in recovering the Roman East from the Persians
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
and restoring it to the Empire.
Life
His full name was Lucius Septimius Odainath. He was of Arameans descent as his name suggests. His gentilicium Septimius shows that his family received the Roman citizenshipRoman citizenship
Citizenship in ancient Rome was a privileged political and legal status afforded to certain free-born individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance....
under an emperor of the Severan dynasty
Severan dynasty
The Severan dynasty was a Roman imperial dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire between 193 and 235. The dynasty was founded by the Roman general Septimius Severus, who rose to power during the civil war of 193, known as the Year of the Five Emperors....
, 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 is not known, but already in an inscription dated 258 he is styled "the illustrious consul our lord" (N.S.I. No. 126). In his wife, the renowned Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
, he found an able supporter of his policy.
The defeat and captivity of the emperor Valerian
Valerian (emperor)
Valerian , also known as Valerian the Elder, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260. He was taken captive by Persian king Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman Emperor who was captured as a prisoner of war, resulting in wide-ranging instability across the Empire.-Origins and rise...
in 260 left the eastern provinces largely at the mercy of the Persians; the prospect of Persian supremacy was not one which Palmyra or its ruler had any reason to desire. At first, it seems, Odaenathus attempted to propitiate the Persian monarch Shapur I
Shapur I
Shapur I or also known as Shapur I the Great was the second Sassanid King of the Second Persian Empire. The dates of his reign are commonly given as 240/42 - 270/72, but it is likely that he also reigned as co-regent prior to his father's death in 242 .-Early years:Shapur was the son of Ardashir 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
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, and before they could cross the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
inflicted upon them a considerable defeat.
Then, when two usurping emperors were proclaimed in the East (261), Odaenathus took the side of Gallienus
Gallienus
Gallienus was Roman Emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260, and alone from 260 to 268. He took control of the Empire at a time when it was undergoing great crisis...
the son and successor of Valerian
Valerian (emperor)
Valerian , also known as Valerian the Elder, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260. He was taken captive by Persian king Shapur I after the Battle of Edessa, becoming the only Roman Emperor who was captured as a prisoner of war, resulting in wide-ranging instability across the Empire.-Origins and rise...
, attacked and put to death the usurper Quietus
Quietus
Titus Fulvius Iunius Quietus was a Roman usurper against Roman Emperor Gallienus.Quietus was the son of Fulvius Macrianus and a noblewoman, possibly named Iunia...
at Emesa (modern Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
) 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
Mommsen
Mommsen is a surname, and may refer to one of a family of German historians, see Mommsen family:* Theodor Mommsen , great classical scholar, and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature* Tycho Mommsen...
, Provinces, ii. p. 103).
In a series of rapid and successful campaigns, during which he left Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
under the charge of Septimius Worod his deputy (N.S.I. Nos. 127-129), he crossed the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
and relieved Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
, recovered Nisibis
Nisibis
Nusaybin Nisêbîn) is a city in Mardin Province, Turkey, populated mainly by Kurds. Earlier Arameans, Arabs, and Armenians lived in the city. The population of the city is 83,832 as of 2009.-Ancient Period:...
and Carrhae (modern Harran
Harran
Harran was a major ancient city in Upper Mesopotamia whose site is near the modern village of Altınbaşak, Turkey, 24 miles southeast of Şanlıurfa...
). He even took the offensive against the power of Persia, and twice invaded the Persian capital Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon
Ctesiphon, the imperial capital of the Parthian Arsacids and of the Persian Sassanids, was one of the great cities of ancient Mesopotamia.The ruins of the city are located on the east bank of the Tigris, across the river from the Hellenistic city of Seleucia...
itself; probably also he brought back Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
into the Empire. These successes restored the Roman rule in the East; and Gallienus did not 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 is considerable evidence that Odaenathus aimed at becoming emperor; but during his lifetime there was no conflict with Rome. He was about to start for Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
against the Goths
Goths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
when he was assassinated, together with Hairan, by his nephew Maeonius
Maeonius
Maeonius , or Maconius, was a short-lived Roman usurper. He is also known with the names of Odaenathus and Rufinus Maeonius (d. 266/267), or Maconius, was a short-lived Roman usurper. He is also known with the names of Odaenathus (Syncellus I p717) and Rufinus Maeonius (d. 266/267), or Maconius,...
. There have been suggestions that this deed of violence was instigated by Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, but there is no evidence in the historical records to corroborate the charge.
According to Imperially biased Historia Augusta, Maeonius
Maeonius
Maeonius , or Maconius, was a short-lived Roman usurper. He is also known with the names of Odaenathus and Rufinus Maeonius (d. 266/267), or Maconius, was a short-lived Roman usurper. He is also known with the names of Odaenathus (Syncellus I p717) and Rufinus Maeonius (d. 266/267), or Maconius,...
killed Odaenathus and his son Hairan during a celebration, because of a conspiracy organized by Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
, second wife of Odaenathus, who wanted their son Vaballathus to succeed Odaenathus instead of Hairan (who was the son of Odaenathus by another woman). The more commonly accepted version, according to Gibbon, was that the murder was revenge for a short confinement imposed by Odaenathus to Maeonius for being disrespectful. After his death (266-267), Zenobia succeeded to his position and practically governed Palmyra on behalf of the young Vaballathus
Vaballathus
Lucius Iulius Aurelius Septimius Vabalathus Athenodorus was a king of the Palmyrene Empire. Vabalathus is the Latinized form of his name in the Arabic language, Wahb Allat or gift of the Goddess...
.