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VABALATHVS or VHABALATHVS (Latin coins), VABALLATHVS (Greek coins). Vabalathus, son of Odenathus and Zenobia, called by Vopiacus Balbatus, governes Palmyra with his mother after the murder of his father AD 267. He probably perished in the war with Aurelian in AD 272.
The coins of Vabalathus are of two classes; those with his name and head without the titles of Caesar or Augustus, and on the reverse the name and head of Aurelian; and those with his name and head and the titles of Caesar and Augustus, and on the reverses various types. They were struck at Antioch with Latin inscriptions, and at Alexandria with Greek. As they offer some difficulty in their interpretation, it is adviseable to give both series:
I. ROMAN COINS
A. Without title of Augustus.
1. Obv. VABALATHVS VCRIMDR, laureate bust of Vabalathus to right. Rev. IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate bust of Aurelian to right; below, one of following letters: A, B G, E, ς, Z, or H; billon.
B. With title of Augustus.
2. Obv. IM C VHABALATHVS AVG, radiate bust of Vabalathus to right. Rev. IOVI STATORI, Jupiter holding globe and leaning on spear; before him a star, at his feet an eagle; billon.
3. Rev. VENVS AVG, Venus standing left holding helmet and spear, and leaning on a shield; billon.
4. Rev. VICTORIA AVG, Victory walking left holding a crown and palm; in the field a star.
Other reverses:
AEQVITAS AVG
AETERNIATAS AVG
VIRTVS AVG
A. Without title of Augustus.
5. Obv. IAC OTABALLAQOC AQHN T ACP, lareate and diabemed bust of Vaballathus to right; no date. Rev. A K L DOM ATPHLIANOC SEB, laureate bust of Aurelian to right; date LA (year 1).
6. Obv. IAC OTABALLAQOC AQHN T ACPW, as number 5; date LD (year 4). Rev. as number 5; date LA (year 1).
7. Obv. As number 5; date LE (year 5). Rev. as number 5; date LB (year 2).
8. Obv. IAC OTABALLAQOC AQHNO T ATT SPW, as number 5; dates LD (year 4) or LE (year 5). Rev. ATT K L D ATPHLIANOC CEB, as number 5; dates LA (year 1) or LB (Year 2).
9. Obv. ATPHLIANOC AQHNODWPOC, busts of Aurelian and Athenodorus facing each other, the former laureated, the latter lareated and diademed. Rev. LA (year1). LD (year 4), within a laurel wreath.
B. With the title of Augustus.
10. Obv. ATT K OTABALLAQOC AQHNO SEB, laureate bust of Vaballathus to right. Rev. LE (year 5), Providence standing left raising right hand and holding a double cornucopiae.
11. Obv. Same legend and type. Rev. LE (year 5), radiate bust of the Sun to right.
From these coins it seems clear that in the fourth year of Vabalathus and the first of Aurelian, AD 269-270 (Numbers 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), Aurelian recognised the government of Vabalathus, and in the following year (AD 271) associated him as Augustus (numbers 2 and 3), but very soon after Vabalathus and his mother, Zenobia, revolted and struck independent coins, both at Atioch and Alexandria (numbers 4, 10, 11).
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