A great boon would be conferred on numismatists if some of your
correspondents would endeavour to elucidate the puzzling legend
sometimes found on coins of this prince.
Vabalathus, or Vhabalathus, Athenodorus (which Mionnet and Akerman make
to be the Greek translation of Vabalathus), was the son of the
celebrated Zenobia, by an Arab prince, and was raised to the imperial
dignity by his mother. His sway extended over some parts of Syria and
Egypt, A.D. 266-273.
Aurelian gave to Vabalathus a petty province of Armenia, of which he
made him king, though perhaps this arose from the mistake of Occo and
Salmasius (_in Vopisc._ p. 380.) in reading [Greek: ARMENIAS] for
[Greek: AUG . HERMIAS] on his Egyptian coins (Vide infra).
His portrait appears on the reverse of coins of Aurelian, with the
legend VABALATHVS. VCRIMDR. Frölich and Corsini have unsuccessfully
attempted the interpretation of this word. Père Hardouin, considering,
VCRIMOR as the correct reading, divides it V. C. R. IM. OR., i.e. _Vice
Cæsaris Rector Imperii Orientis_; but, as Banduri rightly observes, the
existence of this legend is extremely doubtful, VCRIMDR being the
authorised one, and is undoubtedly so in a specimen in my cabinet; and
though the worthy Jesuit remarks, "Barbaram vocem aliquam arbitrari sub
hisce Notis Latinis latere, frigidum genus exceptionis est, ac
desperantium," I am inclined to think that the true interpretation is to
be sought in the Syriac, or some of the Oriental languages.
I have two others in my collection, of the rude third brass of the
Egyptian mint: Obv. AURELIAN, &c.
Rev. [Greek: OUABALLATHOS . ATHÊNOU . AUG . HERMIAS
I . AU . OUABALLATHOS . ATHÊNU . A . HER]
The first and three final letters of this last legend are very
indistinct, and I should much like a correct reading of it, as it is, I
believe, inedited. Other legends are given by Banduri: VABALATHVS . alii
REX . VCRIM . P.P.--VABALATVS . VCRIMOR .--VABALATHVS . ITER . IMP .
R.--IM . C . VHABALATHVS . AVG .--[Greek: A . HERMIAS . OUABALLATHOS .
ATHÊNU .--AU . K . HERMIAS . OUABALLATHOS . ATHÊNOU . OUABALATHOS .
ATHÊNOU . AUG . HERMIAS.]