Paul of Samosata retired, attacked en route by Odenathus of Palmyra.^88 At the same time there
came the proclamation asAugustiof Macrianus and Quietus by their father,
Macrianus, and the praetorian prefect Ballista (Callistus).^89 All that is neces-
sary to note in the present context is that their regime lasted at least until
(as revealed, for instance, in a papyrus dated to May in their second joint
consulate and first Egyptian year, so ).^90 Macrianus advanced into Europe
and was defeated by Gallienus. Quietus was defeated by Odenathus. It is im-
portant to note that our admittedly scanty sources say that the victory took
place at Emesa.^91 Was the Palmyrene presence on the upper Orontes at this
moment followed by either a physical occupation or an effective overlord-
ship of the cities of Roman Syria? Documentary evidence shows that by
Odenathus had the titlehypatikos(consular)—but this does not (as has been
claimed) serve to prove that he was governor of Syria-Phoenice.^92 In about
he is alleged (see below) to have received the titlecorrector totius Orien-
tis(‘‘controller’’ or perhaps ‘‘restorer of the entire East’’) from Gallienus, and
almost certainly assumed rather than was given that of ‘‘king of kings.’’ The
available evidence on his movements and activities shows, however, noth-
ing further concerned with the Roman province, but rather two invasions of
Mesopotamia, reaching to Ctesiphon.^93 He is first heard of in Roman Syria
again at the moment of his murder, again at Emesa,^94 which took place in
/.^95 During this period it is notable that the mint of Antioch continues
. The evidence is late—Festus,Brev. ; Jerome,Chron., ed. Helm, ;HA,Trig.Tyr.
, –;Vit.Val. , –; Malalas,Chron. , Dindorf; Syncellus, (Bonn); Zonaras ,
; J. Février,Essai sur l’histoire politique et économique de Palmyere(), –; J. Starcky,
Palmyre(), ff. The essential modern treatment of the chronology of Odenathus and
Vabalathus and their successive titulatures is D. Schlumberger, ‘‘L’inscription d’Hérodien:
remarques sur l’histoire des princes de Palmyre,’’Bull. d’Ét. orient. (–): .
. For the best account see A. Alföldi, ‘‘Die römische Münzprägung und die histori-
schen Ereignisse im Osten zwischen und n. Chr.,’’Berytus (): Studien zur
Geschichte der Weltkrise des . Jahrhunderts nach Christus(), .
.P. Oxy. XXXIV .
. Zon. , ; cf.HA,Vit. Gall. , , and Petrus Petricius,FHGIV, Dio, ed.
Boissevain III, .
.ContraSchlumberger (n. ), , and J. Starcky (n. ), . The title appears inIGRIII,
J. Cantineau,InventairedesinscriptionsdePalmyreIII(), no. . Cf. D. Magie,Roman
Rule in Asia Minor(), chap. XXIX, n. .
. See Février (n. ), ff.; Alföldi (n. ), ff. (ff.).
. Zosimus , , . Note, however, the variant tradition of Syncellus , – (Bonn),
according to which he was killed in Cappadocia on his way to repel a Gothic invasion.
. Probably between August and August , because Alexandrian coins