Critical Moments in History - Odaenathus, Savior of the East

Critical moments in history, Odonathus, Savior of the East. The Roman Empire of the 3rd century had entered a dramatic period of crisis. The reign of the good emperors had passed, replaced now by a long line of claimants battling for the throne. As civil war pulled Roman attention away from its borders, external threats were amplified. In the east, this coincided with the rise of a new power, the Sassanids, who now spotted an opportunity to reclaim the lands once held by the old kings of Persia. Yet at this critical junction in Rome's history, a savior would rise and come to the defense of a collapsing empire. He was Odonathus, the Raz of Palmyra. Crisis of the 3rd century. The question of imperial succession had always haunted the empire and its stability. Early on, heirs were chosen by their predecessors, or could trace their lineage through a ruling family. These credentials helped successors drive legitimacy and allowed for relatively peaceful transfers of power. However, 200 years after the death of Rome's first emperor, the death of Rome's 26th emperor would spark a crisis. In 235 AD, the legions of the Rhine murdered Alexander Severus, ending the Severan dynasty and throwing open the doors to the throne room. Into this vacuum of power would charge the ambitious men of the empire and their legions. Frequent civil wars followed, which saw over 60 men claim imperial power in just 50 years. This calamitous infighting severely weakened the Romans and had major impacts on the economy, politics, and military of the empire. Smelling blood in the water, their enemies closed in. The Eastern Threat. The Eastern Mediterranean had originally been annexed and organized by Pompey the Great following his conquest in the 60s BC. Over time, the Romans would exert increasing control, either directly governing regions or establishing buffer kingdoms. Though the East was prone to uprisings and incursions, it proved to be an incredibly wealthy territory that the emperors were always prepared to defend. In addition to garrisoning large walled cities in the area, the numerous legions stationed in the East also built a series of fortifications across the frontier. The distribution of troops, especially after the Flavian period, was set up for large scale warfare and major campaigns were launched roughly every 50 years. In the long series of border wars between Rome and the neighboring Parthians, it appears that more often than not it was the Romans who took the role as the aggressors. By the time of the 3rd century crisis, the balance of power began to tip the other way. Rome's internal weaknesses crippled its ability to project strength beyond the frontiers, endangering its border provinces. At the same time, the Parthians were replaced by the more aggressive Sassanids. This new Persian dynasty had aspirations of reclaiming the western territories of the Achaemenid Empire. Militarily, they were more competent at besieging fortifications and were able to make significant inroads into Roman territory. King Shapur I invaded Mesopotamia in 243, defeating and killing Emperor Gordian III before securing a highly advantageous peace treaty with his replacement, Emperor Philip the Arab. In 253, Shapur once again returned. He won victories at Barbarossus and Antioch before being engaged by Emperor Valerian and the main Roman army in 259. Yet at the Battle of Edessa, the legions were defeated, and for the first time in history, a Roman emperor was taken prisoner. In the aftermath of this catastrophe, things only got worse. As Shapur pushed his campaign into Cilicia and Cappadocia, his bloody invasion resulted in the sack of over 30 cities. Meanwhile, Valerian's son Gallienus ascended to the throne in the west, only to be undermined by two eastern usurpers, the brothers Macrianus and Quaetus. The east was disintegrating. A hero emerges. The future seemed bleak for the Roman Empire, as its eastern provinces were being torn apart from both inside and out. And yet, as it stood on the edge of collapse, a strong hand would pull it back from the brink. But who would come to the rescue of the Romans? The hero was Septimius Odonathus. Odonathus had come from Palmyra. The city in the desert of eastern Syria was made fabulously wealthy by the trade caravans passing along the Silk Road. It had risen in importance from a tributary city with a garrison in 19 AD, to a metropolis under Hadrian, and finally a colony in 211, with an estimated population of between 150 and 200,000 people. Due to its status and distance from Rome, Palmyra was surprisingly allowed to preserve its own form of government, and even develop a regal dynasty during the 3rd century. It is into this wealthy class that Odonathus was born in 220. His family appears to have acquired Roman citizenship, and around 240 he was granted senatorial rank. By the time of Shapur's invasion in the 250s, Odonathus had been made Raz of Palmyra. This position granted him supreme civil and military command, with authority over the entire Palmyrene army. Faced with the collapse of the Roman Empire's authority in the east, he was in a position to be its executioner or savior. Fatefully, Odonathus would cast his lot with Gallienus. He mustered for war. The Palmyrene army at his disposal was well trained and equipped. At its core was a strong, armored, cataphract contingent with accompanying light and heavy infantry. To this force, Odonathus added local armed peasantry, warriors from their surrounding desert tribes, and their surviving soldiers from Valerian's defeated legions. This impromptu army, raised from the villages of Syria and the tents of the desert, moved in quick succession to deliver hammer blows of redemption. Savior of the East Odonathus made his first move against Shapur. In the late summer of 260, a long train of Sassanid forces laden with plunder was slowly making its way back home. But as this column approached the Euphrates, it was set upon by the Syrian army. Odonathus swept down from behind with deadly effect. The Persians, unable to withstand the onslaught, were chased back across the east. But Theraz was only just getting started. Odonathus now made his second move against the Roman usurpers. Macrianus had already set off for the west, but had left behind his brother, Qeidus, and their ally, Ballista. In 261, the Palmyrene army marched to meet them at Emessa. Faced with a potential massacre, the city rose up against Qeidus, while Ballista took the field, only to be killed in battle. For these great victories, the lord of Palmyra was hailed as the savior of the empire. Emperor Gallianus bestowed upon him the twin titles of Dux Romanorum and Restitutor Totius Orientis. As if this were not enough, Odonathus next went on the offensive. In the spring of 262, he launched an offensive against the Sassanids at the head of a Roman Palmyrene army. The king drove out the garrisons of Mesopotamia, fighting all the way to the walls of the Persian capital at Ctesiphon, and laying siege to it by the end of the year. Though the city was not taken, severe damage was inflicted to the surrounding areas. Odonathus was successfully able to carry off substantial loot and prisoners before concluding the invasion with a full restoration of all the land Rome had lost to Shapur since 252. To celebrate the victory, Emperor Gallianus held a triumph in Rome. The Faithful Odonathus' power was now established, recognized, and virtually unopposed. But rather than proclaim his independence as many others in the same position had done in the past, he remained loyal to Rome. Over the following years, he would continue to show fealty and serve as a defender of the East. He deferred to Gallianus' authority, dealt swiftly with uprisings, and minted no coins bearing his own image. As a result, the East was able to get back on its feet and catch its breath. In 266, Odonathus even launched further campaigns against the Sassanids, and in 267 moved to counter Scythian raids into Anatolia. In late 267, however, Odonathus would meet his untimely end. While attending a party, both he and his son would be murdered by their relative Maeonius. A motive is unclear, but history is filled with many rumors and tales of conspiracy. Regardless of these details, the murder and his associates were quickly brought to trial and executed. The faithful defender of the empire was now gone. In his place would step the widowed queen Zenobia. Filled with ambition that exceeded that of her late husband, she would leverage the resurgent stability of the East to cast off the yoke of Rome. Over the course of five years, Zenobia forged a new, Palmyrene empire that would bring most of the East under her dominion. The fate of the empire was once again at a crossroads. Rome would require a restorer of the world. If you found this topic interesting, check out these related videos about our fascinating past. Be sure to like and subscribe for more history, and check out the description for ways to support the channel. Thanks for watching.