Journal of Hellenic and Near Eastern Studies, 2025
The third-century crisis of the Roman Empire, culminating in the rise of the breakaway Palmyrene ... more The third-century crisis of the Roman Empire, culminating in the rise of the breakaway Palmyrene Empire under Zenobia and her son Vaballathus, has traditionally been viewed through the lens of Roman political fragmentation, a view largely shaped by 20th century historiography [16]. However, this interpretation risks overlooking the profound cultural and historical foundations of Palmyra’s expansion. The core argument here is that the Palmyrene state, far from being a mere Roman splinter, was fundamentally an attempt at Seleukid revival, actively pursuing a Hellenistic political and cultural programme rooted in the legacy of Alexander the Great’s successors. This thesis is supported by compelling evidence drawn from three pillars: the geographic and historical continuity of the Syrian heartland, the explicit mirroring of Hellenistic intellectual and educational achievements, and the syncretic military structure inherited directly from the Seleukid royal army model.
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Papers by James Isakov