Aurelian, Clubs, and Herodotus. The Weapons of Troops from Palestine in the Battle of Emesa (272 AD)

Abstract

In 272 AD at Emesa there was a decisive battle between the forces of Zenobia and Aurelian. According to Zosimus the Romans owed this victory to a counter-attack of the infantry recruited from among the Palestinians, who fought with staves shod with iron and clubs (Historia Nova I 52, 4; 53, 2). The present author believes that in this passage Zosimus did not recount real events but when writing his account he relied upon Herodotus, according to whom the inhabitants of Syria (including the Palestinians) used such weapons. In several other passages of Zosimus’ work one can discern a similar method applied when describing the past. This historian (or his source) used topoi and literary texts when building his narration.