Aurelian succeeds Claudius I and, after defeating the Alamanni, who had invaded Italy, turns his attention to the lost eastern provinces—the Palmyrene Empire.

Asia Minor is recovered easily; every city but Byzantium and Tyana surrenders to him with little resistance.

Aurelian to this point has destroyed every city that resisted him, but he spares Tyana.

His ploy pays off; many more cities submits to him upon understanding that the emperor will not exact revenge upon them.

Aurelian defeats Queen Zenobia in the Battle of Immae and again, decisively, in the Battle of Emesa.

His armies stand within six months at the gates of Palmyra, which surrenders when Zenobia tries to flee to the Sassanid Empire.

The Palmyrene Empire is no more.

Aurelian, after a brief clash with the Persians and another in Egypt against usurper Firmus, returns to Palmyra in 273 when it rebels again.

This time, Aurelian allows his soldiers to sack the city, and Palmyra will never recover from this.

He becomes known as Parthicus Maximus and Restitutor Orientis ("Restorer of the East").