ABSTRACT
The war against Zenobia had two objectives. The first was to liberate those parts of the empire over which Zenobia had recently established a dominion and which were too sensitive to leave under the control of a potentially hostile power. The most important of these were the wealthy provinces of Asia Minor, with their significant tax contribution to the coffers of the imperial government, and Egypt, with its vital supply of grain.1 The Mediterranean area of Syria, particularly the city of Antioch, was of secondary, but still considerable, importance. Aurelian’s second objective was to eliminate Zenobia and to reduce the power of Palmyra so as to prevent a repeat of this dangerous situation. Because of the urgency of the first objective, Aurelian could not afford to wait until he had recaptured Syria, which he knew would be heavily defended, before reclaiming Egypt. Both for this reason and for the sake of opening up a second front, he made arrangements to send his fleet to liberate Egypt.
