Battle of Emesa
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Emesa was fought in 272
between Roman
and Palmyra
n forces. The Romans were led by Emperor Aurelian
, while the Palmyrans were led by Queen Zenobia
and her general Zabdas
.
Aurelian had started a campaign to reconquer the secessionist Palmyrene Empire
, led by Vaballathus
and his mother Queen Zenobia
. He had come to the East willing to show his mercy to the Roman peoples of the area, and had defeated Zenobia at the Battle of Immae
, near Antioch
. Zenobia and her general Zabdas fled to Emesa.
Roman and Palmyrene forces clashed in the plain in front of the city. As at Immae, the Palmyrene heavy cavalry (the clibanarii
) was superior to the Roman equivalent. However, the clibanarii dispersed in the pursuit of the Roman cavalry, and were massacred by the Roman infantry. According to Zosimus
, the Palestinian units, with their clubs, slaughtered the armoured Palmyrene horsemen.
Zenobia retreated into Emesa, but later escaped to Palmyra
, having failed to recover the treasure from Emesa. While Aurelian attacked and conquered Palmyra, Zenobia fled to Persia, but was captured when she had reached the Euphrates
. Aurelian showed her mercy, and Zenobia was not executed.
272
Year 272 was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Postumius and Veldumnianus...
between Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
n forces. The Romans were led by Emperor Aurelian
Aurelian
Aurelian , was Roman Emperor from 270 to 275. During his reign, he defeated the Alamanni after a devastating war. He also defeated the Goths, Vandals, Juthungi, Sarmatians, and Carpi. Aurelian restored the Empire's eastern provinces after his conquest of the Palmyrene Empire in 273. The following...
, while the Palmyrans were led by Queen Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
and her general Zabdas
Zabdas
Zabdas was the name of the general who led the forces of Queen Zenobia during her rule of the Palmyrene Empire. He chose not to face the emperor Aurelian in Asia Minor, due to the mountainous nature of that province and its consequent negative effects on cavalry tactics, and awaited Aurelian in...
.
Aurelian had started a campaign to reconquer the secessionist Palmyrene Empire
Palmyrene Empire
The Palmyrene Empire was a splinter empire, that broke off of the Roman Empire during the Crisis of the Third Century. It encompassed the Roman provinces of Syria Palaestina, Egypt and large parts of Asia Minor....
, led by Vaballathus
Vaballathus
Lucius Iulius Aurelius Septimius Vabalathus Athenodorus was a king of the Palmyrene Empire. Vabalathus is the Latinized form of his name in the Arabic language, Wahb Allat or gift of the Goddess...
and his mother Queen Zenobia
Zenobia
Zenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
. He had come to the East willing to show his mercy to the Roman peoples of the area, and had defeated Zenobia at the Battle of Immae
Battle of Immae
The Battle of Immae was fought in 272 between the Roman army of Emperor Aurelian and the armies of the Palmyrene Empire, whose leader, Queen Zenobia had usurped Roman control over the eastern provinces.- Prelude to War :...
, near Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
. Zenobia and her general Zabdas fled to Emesa.
Roman and Palmyrene forces clashed in the plain in front of the city. As at Immae, the Palmyrene heavy cavalry (the clibanarii
Clibanarii
The Clibanarii or Klibanophoroi were a Sassanid Persian, late Roman and Byzantine military unit of heavy armored horsemen. Similar to the cataphracti, the horsemen themselves and their horses were fully armoured...
) was superior to the Roman equivalent. However, the clibanarii dispersed in the pursuit of the Roman cavalry, and were massacred by the Roman infantry. According to Zosimus
Zosimus
Zosimus was a Byzantine historian, who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius I . According to Photius, he was a comes, and held the office of "advocate" of the imperial treasury.- Historia Nova :...
, the Palestinian units, with their clubs, slaughtered the armoured Palmyrene horsemen.
Zenobia retreated into Emesa, but later escaped to Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
, having failed to recover the treasure from Emesa. While Aurelian attacked and conquered Palmyra, Zenobia fled to Persia, but was captured when she had reached the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
. Aurelian showed her mercy, and Zenobia was not executed.