Timolaus of Palmyra (Latin: Timolaus) was reportedly a 3rd century Palmyrene nobleman, son of the king of kingsOdaenathus (r. 252-267) and augustusZenobia (r. 267-272). Little is known about him, and all the existing information comes from speculation. Such is the doubt of his existence that some scholars try to associate him with Vaballathus (r. 267-272), another of the sons of Odaenathus and Zenobia. Some authors believe he is an individual made up by the Historia Augusta, the only historical source that cites him, and some speculate that he is in fact a historical figure. He appears only in 267, at the time of his father's assassination.
Timolaus was the son of Odaenathus and his second wife Zenobia, grandson of Hairan I, great-grandson of Vaballathus, and great-great-grandson of Nasor.[1] He was the half-brother of Hairan I, the fruit of Odaenathus' relationship with a previous wife. He also had two sisters, whose names are not known. It is known, however, that they married respectively the emperorAurelian (r. 270-275) and a Roman senator. Timolaus was also the brother of Vaballathus, Hairan II, and Septimius Antiochus.[2] The Historia Augusta(HA) cites him as having another brother, Herodian, whose existence is questioned. Some think Herodian was a variant of Hairan II's name.[3][4]
Lifeedit
There are doubts as to the existence of Timolaus. Some authors suggest that he may be a fabrication,[3][4] a de facto individual (whose name, recorded here in Latinized form, has the Palmyrene variant Taimallat), or a distortion of the name Vaballathus.[5]
Nothing is known about his life, having been mentioned only in 267, in the context of the murder of Odaenathus and Hairan I. The versions of the events are many, but in one of them, presented by the Historia Augusta (which also cites two other versions), his murderer was Maeonius, a cousin or nephew of Odaenathus, having carried out the crime at the behest of Zenobia. According to the source, Zenobia resented that Hairan II (Herenian) and Timolaus were in a lower position than her godson and therefore orders Maeonius to kill them.[6]
The Historia Augusta mentions that Zenobia assumed the throne on their behalf, dressed them in purple, as emperors, and led them in public meetings which she attended in the likeness of Dido, Semiramis, and Cleopatra. The HA itself indicates that how they died is uncertain and presents two versions: in the first, they were killed by Aurelian at the time of the conquest of the Palmyrene Empire (272); in the second, they died of natural causes, as there were still at the time the work was written (4th century), noble descendants of Zenobia in Rome.
The HA further asserts that such was Timolaus' eagerness for Roman studies that, in a short time, he allegedly fulfilled the declaration of his professor of languages, who said that he was indeed capable of making him the greatest of Latin rhetoricians.[7]
Referencesedit
^Sartre, Maurice (2005). "The Arabs and the desert peoples". In Cameron, Averil; Garnsey, Peter; Bowman, Alan K (eds.). The Cambridge Ancient History XII - The Crisis of Empire AD 193-337. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 512.
Watson, Alaric (2004). Aurelian and the Third Century. New York; London: Routledge. ISBN978-1-134-90815-8.
Dodgeon, Michael H; Lieu, Samuel N. C. (2002). The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (Part I, 226–363 AD). London: Routledge. ISBN0-415-00342-3.
timolaus, palmyra, latin, timolaus, reportedly, century, palmyrene, nobleman, king, kings, odaenathus, augustus, zenobia, little, known, about, existing, information, comes, from, speculation, such, doubt, existence, that, some, scholars, associate, with, vaba. Timolaus of Palmyra Latin Timolaus was reportedly a 3rd century Palmyrene nobleman son of the king of kings Odaenathus r 252 267 and augustus Zenobia r 267 272 Little is known about him and all the existing information comes from speculation Such is the doubt of his existence that some scholars try to associate him with Vaballathus r 267 272 another of the sons of Odaenathus and Zenobia Some authors believe he is an individual made up by the Historia Augusta the only historical source that cites him and some speculate that he is in fact a historical figure He appears only in 267 at the time of his father s assassination Timolaus of PalmyraBorn3rd centuryDiedc 272NationalityPalmyraParentsOdaenathus father Zenobia mother Contents 1 Family 2 Life 3 References 4 BibliographyFamily edit nbsp Possible limestone bust of Odaenathus Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek CopenhagenTimolaus was the son of Odaenathus and his second wife Zenobia grandson of Hairan I great grandson of Vaballathus and great great grandson of Nasor 1 He was the half brother of Hairan I the fruit of Odaenathus relationship with a previous wife He also had two sisters whose names are not known It is known however that they married respectively the emperor Aurelian r 270 275 and a Roman senator Timolaus was also the brother of Vaballathus Hairan II and Septimius Antiochus 2 The Historia Augusta HA cites him as having another brother Herodian whose existence is questioned Some think Herodian was a variant of Hairan II s name 3 4 Life editThere are doubts as to the existence of Timolaus Some authors suggest that he may be a fabrication 3 4 a de facto individual whose name recorded here in Latinized form has the Palmyrene variant Taimallat or a distortion of the name Vaballathus 5 Nothing is known about his life having been mentioned only in 267 in the context of the murder of Odaenathus and Hairan I The versions of the events are many but in one of them presented by the Historia Augusta which also cites two other versions his murderer was Maeonius a cousin or nephew of Odaenathus having carried out the crime at the behest of Zenobia According to the source Zenobia resented that Hairan II Herenian and Timolaus were in a lower position than her godson and therefore orders Maeonius to kill them 6 The Historia Augusta mentions that Zenobia assumed the throne on their behalf dressed them in purple as emperors and led them in public meetings which she attended in the likeness of Dido Semiramis and Cleopatra The HA itself indicates that how they died is uncertain and presents two versions in the first they were killed by Aurelian at the time of the conquest of the Palmyrene Empire 272 in the second they died of natural causes as there were still at the time the work was written 4th century noble descendants of Zenobia in Rome The HA further asserts that such was Timolaus eagerness for Roman studies that in a short time he allegedly fulfilled the declaration of his professor of languages who said that he was indeed capable of making him the greatest of Latin rhetoricians 7 References edit Sartre Maurice 2005 The Arabs and the desert peoples In Cameron Averil Garnsey Peter Bowman Alan K eds The Cambridge Ancient History XII The Crisis of Empire AD 193 337 Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 512 Southern 2008 pp 9 10 a b Southern 2008 p 10 a b Watson 2004 p 58 Southern 2008 pp p 10 note 33 174 Dodgeon amp Lieu 2002 pp 70 71 Dodgeon amp Lieu 2002 p 70 Bibliography editSouthern Pat 2008 Empress Zenobia Palmyra s Rebel Queen London NY Continuum Watson Alaric 2004 Aurelian and the Third Century New York London Routledge ISBN 978 1 134 90815 8 Dodgeon Michael H Lieu Samuel N C 2002 The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars Part I 226 363 AD London Routledge ISBN 0 415 00342 3 Portals nbsp Biography nbsp History nbsp Ancient Rome Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Timolaus of Palmyra amp oldid 1188697862, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
