Rome and the East
just as well as ofCorrector.^111 The strict equivalent ofCorrectorappears only
in an inscription of Vabalathus,^112 where he is called ’PNRTT’ DY MDYTH
KLH, where ’PNRTT’ is certainly a transcription of the Greekepanorthōtēs.
The two expressions are not necessarily identical in meaning. In any case
the expression which follows here—MDYTH—is the equivalent ofpolisor
‘‘provincia.’’ Even granted that KLH means ‘‘whole’’ or ‘‘every,’’ we have still
no indication of how wide was the geographical area concerned, still less
any justification for assuming an equivalence and translating Odenathus’ title
ascorrector totius Orientis. On the contrary, Zosimus, in his detailed and cir-
cumstantial narrative, has an anecdote of the Palmyrenes, evidently during
their apogee in –, enquiring of Apollo at Seleucia ‘‘whether they would
obtain the domination of the East.’’^113
The literary sources provide no firmer basis for supposing any established
Palmyrene hegemony over any of the eastern Roman provinces. Zosimus and
Zonaras state no more than that Gallienus gave Odenathus a major military
role against Persia.^114 Eutropius and Orosius, for what they are worth on a
precise point, imply that Zenobia’s wider ambitions post-dated the murder
of her husband.^115 In fact, the notion of a general rule of the East by Ode-
nathus depends fundamentally on a number of grandiose generalizations in
theHistoriaAugusta^116 —which also states, falsely, that Gallienus awarded him
the title ‘‘Augustus.’’^117
That Palmyra or its rulers exercised any real influence in Antioch before
about thus remains a pure speculation unsupported by any reliable con-
crete evidence. On the other hand, we do have the testimony of Zosimus to
the fact that when Aurelian retook Antioch in there was a pro-Palmyrene
group there which was preparing to flee in terror until the Emperor issued an
. See J. Cantineau, ‘‘UnRestitutor Orientisdans les inscriptions de Palmyre,’’Journal
Asiatique (): .
. See Clermont-Ganneau (n. ), , .
. Zos. , , .
. Zos. , , ; Zon. , . Cf. Syncellus, (Bonn.): ‘‘He was appointed also com-
mander of the East by Gallienus because of this.’’
. Eutropius , , : ‘‘Zenobia ruled the East after the murder of her husband Odena-
thus’’; Orosius , , : ‘‘Zenobia, who after the murder of her husband claimed possession
of Syria for herself ’’; cf. Festus,Brev. : ‘‘For after her husband’s death she heldimperium
over the East under the command of a female.’’
.HA,Vit. Gall. , : ‘‘When Odenathus already obtainedimperiumover the East’’; ,
: ‘‘Odenathus became emperor of nearly the whole East’’; , : ‘‘Odenathus king of the
Palmyrenes obtainedimperiumover the whole East’’;Trig. Tyr. , : ‘‘Odenatus, who once
already held the East.’’
.HA,Vit. Gall.,.