Battle of Immae

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Immae
partof=the Palmyrene War


caption=
date=272
place=Immae, near Antioch
result=Roman victory
combatant1=Roman Empire
combatant2=Palmyrene Empire
commander1=Aurelian
commander2=Zenobia
Zabdas
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=

The Battle of Immae was fought in 272 between the Roman army of Emperor Aurelian and the armies of Palmyrene Empire, whose leader, Queen Zenobia was perceived as a threat by Rome.

The Palmyrene heavy cavalry, the "clibanarii", was superior to the Roman cavalry. Aurelian thus ordered to his infantry to move away, and to his cavalry to pretend to flee in front of the charge of the "clibanarii". When the "clibanarii", enclosed in their heavy metal armours, became exhausted in charging the faster Roman cavalry, the latter turned around and won the day.

After Aurelian won the battle, Zenobia and her general Zabdas entered in Antioch, bringing a man resembling Aurelian in chains. During the night, the Palmyrene fled the city, leaving a small unit on a close hill, which was later defeated by an Aurelian unit adopting the testudo formation.

References

* Zosimus, 1.50.2
* [http://www.roman-emperors.org/zenobia.htm "Vaballathus and Zenobia"] De Imperatoribus Romanis