Eastern Mediterranean 273: Revolt of Firmus

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Political map of the Eastern Mediterranean on 11 Jul 273 (Crisis of the Third Century: Revolt of Firmus), showing the following events: Septimius Antiochus; Firmus of Seleucia.

No sooner had Aurelian crossed into Europe after his defeat of Zenobia, than Palmyra rebelled again. Racing back east, the emperor sacked the city in retribution, only to face a pro-Palmyrene uprising in Egypt. This too Aurelian crushed, although in the fighting the Brucheion quarter of Alexandria, which housed the famous Great Library, was almost entirely destroyed.

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Main Events

?? 272?–Mar 273 Septimius Antiochus ▲

While Aurelian was in the Balkans, he received word that the Palmyrenes had risen up, massacred their Roman garrison, and proclaimed Septimius Antiochus—another son of Zenobia and presumably only a young child—as emperor. Aurelian immediately turned about and sped back east, effortlessly recapturing Palmyra. This time he had the city plundered, its walls razed, and its people killed or driven out; despite later rebuilding, Palmyra would never fully recover. in wikipedia

273 Firmus of Seleucia ▲

Not long after the 272/273 rebellion in Palmyra, the wealthy Greek merchant Firmus instigated an uprising in Egypt in support of the Palmyrenes and cut off the supply of grain to Rome. Marching south from Syria, Aurelian swiftly crushed the revolt and, by September 273, had Firmus tortured to death. In the conflict, the Brucheion quarter of Alexandria, which housed the famous Great Library, was almost entirely destroyed. (The name ‘Firmus’ comes only from the unreliable Historia Augusta—other sources just mention the revolt—leading some historians to speculate that his name was later appropriated from Claudius Firmus, the governor of Egypt at the time. However, the Historia Augusta specifies that these were two separate men.) in wikipedia

270s 273 Egypt July July 11 maps Palmyra Roman Empire Syria

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