a celebrated prince of Palmyra, who very early inured himself to bear fatigues, and by hunting leopards and wild beasts, accustomed himself to the labours of a military life. He was a faithful friend to the Romans; and when Aurelian had been taken prisoner by Sapor king of Persia, Odenatus warmly interested himself in his cause, and solicited his release, by writing to the conqueror, and by sending him presents. The king of Persia was offended at this liberty of Odenatus, he tore the letter, and ordered the presents that were offered to be thrown into a river, and in order to punish Odenatus, who had the impudence, as he called it, to pay homage to so great a monarch as himself, he commanded him to appear before him, on pain of being devoted to instant destruction with all his family, if he dared to refuse. Odenatus despised this haughty summons of Sapor, and opposed force by force. He obtained some considerable advantages over the troops of the Persian king, and took his wife prisoner, with a great and rich booty. These services were observed with gratitude by the Romans; and Gallienus, the then emperor, named Odenatus as his colleague on the throne, and gave the title of Augufus to his children, and to his wife the celebrated Zenobia. Odenatus invested with new power, resolved to signalize himself more conspicuously by conquering the barbarians of the north: but his exulting was of short duration: he perished by the dagger of one of his own relations, whom he had slightly offended at a domestic entertainment.—He died at Emesa about the 267th year of the Christian era. Zenobia succeeded to his titles and honours.