Are they?

And welcome to Emperors of Rome, a Roman history podcast from Latrobe University.

I'm your host, Matt Smith, and with me today is Associate Professor Kaelin Davenport,

Head of the Centre for Classical Studies at the Australian National University.

This is episode C-C-X-I-I-Zenobia.

The weakness of Rome was the strength of Palmyra, and the East came to be ruled by the Queen

Zenobia.

Cultured and ambitious, her empire stretched from Egypt to Turkey, which made a formidable

challenge for Aurelian.

Here's Kaelin Davenport.

So lots been happening in the East since we were last over there, so you might remember

that Septimius Odinathus, who is the leader of Palmyra, the Palmyrene as well as a Roman

citizen, senator, and consul, was essentially controlling the East in Galeanus's name

with Galeanus's Seiso, because Galeanus had problems with the rise of the Gallic Empire.

But the reality was this was a man who seemed to be subtly, even if not intentionally, setting

himself up with his own territory.

Yes, I mean, he claimed the Persian title King of Kings, which could certainly indicate

that no one else on Earth is better than you, including the Roman Emperor.

He was murdered, however, probably in about 268 CE, and it's probably due to a court

conspiracy.

We talked about the various other stories that the Romans were involved, but it really

does seem to have been an inside job.

...