Video: Odenathus

  Odenathus (link to video)

Description:

Understand how the events described in the video enabled the Roman Empire to survive through this difficult period, but also, examine why Rome was experiencing this dramatic weakness and decline.

In 260 CE, the Roman Empire was falling apart on all sides. Emperor Valerian gathered the legions to push back on the worst incursions from the Sassanid Empire in the east. They not only lost--they were massacred, and the emperor was taken captive. This left the empire in disarray. Into this desperate moment stepped Odenathus from the city-state of Palmyra. Odenathus gathered all the soldiers he could find and took the Sassanid army by surprise on their way back from the battle with Valerian. His loyalty bought the Roman Empire enough time to recover and survive for another 200 years.