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Palmyra finally acknowledged Roman authority and paid
them taxes in the early empire, under Tiberius (14-37), successor of
Augustus. About 127, Hadrian visited the city which took the name of «Hadriana
Palmyra" when he bestowed on it the title of free city. It knew then an
era of great prosperity which still increased after the annexation of
Petra (106) by the Romans.
Caravans coming from Arabia, Persia, the Indies, and even China crossed
the oasis of Palmyra on their way to the east Mediterranean. Arriving
from the Arabian Gulf, they went up the Euphrates into Hit or Abou-Kemal,
then crossed the Syrian desert which was policed by Palmyranian and
Roman garrisons.
Early in the 3rd century, the name of Odeinat (Odenathus) appears, whose
successors were to put their mark on the history of the city. It was
first of all the ancestor, first of the name, a Roman senator put to
death for rebellion. His son Hairan is given the name of Prince of
Palmyra according to a tablet. A second Odeinat, son of the former,
received in 258 the insignia of the Consulate. He was the husband of the
famous Zenobia and was of precious help to the Romans. After the defeat
and capture of Valerian, he fought victoriously against Sapo (Shahpur I)
and ousted him to the east of the Euphrates. Gallienus gave him the
command of the Roman armies in Syria, at the head of which, from 262 to
264, he reconquered Mesopotamia up to Ctesiphon. As a reward for his
services, the emperor granted him first the title of Dux, then that of
Imperator. Tablets refer to him as the Corrector of the whole province.
He himself, while respecting the authority of the emperor, gave himself
the title of King and governed in fact the whole Roman Orient, except
Egypt and Asia Minor. He was assassinated in 266 at Emesis together with
his eldest son Hairan.
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