Episode B50 – Augusta

The Ancient World

Scott C.

History

4.6 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 27 January 2018

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Synopsis: Aurelian’s vision compels him to spare the defiant citizens of Tyana. As the Romans advance through Anatolia, Zenobia concentrates her forces in Syria, and the two sides finally clash at the Battle of Immae. “As soon as the Emperor was on his march thither, Ancyra submitted to the Romans, and afterwards Tyana, and all the cities between that and Antioch. There finding Zenobia with a large army ready to engage, as he himself also was, he met and engaged her as honor obliged him.” – Zosimus, the History “Zenobia would have ill deserved her reputation, had she indolently permitted the Emperor of the West to approach within a hundred miles of her capital…The Queen of Palmyra animated the armies by her presence, and devolved the execution of her orders on Zabdas, who had already signaled his military talents by the conquest of Egypt. The numerous forces of Zenobia consisted for the most part of light archers, and of heavy cavalry clothed in complete steel.” – Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, this is Scott. If you're a fan of the ancient world, please help us get the word out.
0:07.0	Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and rate the series on iTunes. Thanks again for listening.
0:14.0	The ancient world The Ancient World Blood Line
0:27.0	Episode B50 Augusta Certain now that Arelian would not tolerate her rule in the East, in Spring
0:40.0	272, Zenobia claimed for herself and for Vabelothus the full imperial titles that she had
0:48.8	always assiduously avoided.
0:52.3	Coins were issued from the Antioch Mint showing avoided. and with the legend Imperator Caesar Vabelothus Augustus.
1:06.0	She represented herself on coins as a Roman Empress,
1:11.0	Septimia Zenobia Augusta, or in Greek Septimia Zenobia, Sabaste.
1:20.4	This is how historian Pat Southern describes the critical moment.
1:25.0	And it's easy to imagine the mix of elation and existential dread.
1:30.0	No more lies, no more caution, no more bowing to Roman authority.
1:37.0	Just total victory or total defeat, on one big roll of the dice. But then it never hurts to try to work the odds. According to historian Richard Stoneman, it's also likely around this time that Zenobia built a new temple for a very old god.
1:59.0	The Mesopotamian son god Shamash was given a new home inside Palmyra, along with an accompanying
2:07.7	statue and dedication.
2:11.1	The inscription thanks the Emperor Vabilathis for his honor and generosity, and refers to
2:18.2	him Anzanobia as the Augustustai.
2:24.0	So yeah, it was pretty much game on.
2:28.6	But an unintended consequence of Arelian's invasion was the ratcheting up of the stakes. Up through the spring of
2:36.8	272, it's entirely possible that Zenobia's ambitions were limited to Egypt and Anatolia.
2:45.7	But the moment Auralian committed his forces, a new possibility emerged.
2:52.0	If Zinnobia killed the sitting Roman Emperor, the next logical step would be trying to install
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