1. Classical Identification. — There is no reasonable doubt that this city is the same as the one known to the Greeks and Romans and to modern Europe by the name, in some form or other, of Palmyra (WaXfivpa, YldK^iipd, Palmira). The identity of the two cities re- sults from the following circumstances: (1.) The same city is specially mentioned by Josephus (.4?«/. viii, 6, 1) as bearing in his time the name of Tadmor among the Syrians, and Palmyra among the Greeks; and Jerome, in bis Latin translation of the Old Test., translates Tadmor by Palmira (2 Chron. viii, 4). (2.) The modern Arabic name of Palmyra is substantially the same as the Hebrew word, being Tadniiir, or Tathmiir. (.3.) The word Tadmor has nearly the same meaning as Pal- myra, signifying probably the "City of Palms," from Tamar. a palm ; and this is confirmed by the Arabic word for Palma, a Spanish town on the Guadalquivir, which is said to be called Tadmir (see Geseniiis, in his Thesaurus, p. 345). (4.) The name Tadmor, or Tadmor, actually occurs as the name of the city in Aramaic and Greek inscriptions which have been found there. (5.) In the Chronicles, the city is mentioned as having been built by Solomon after his conquest of Hamath-Zobah, and it is named in conjunction with "all the store-cities which he built in Hamath." This accords fully with the situation of Palmyra [see Hajiath]; and there is
no other known city, either in the desert or not in the desert, which can lay claim to the name of Tadmor.
2. JJisto?-!/. — As above stated, Tadmor was built by Soloinon, probably with the view of securing an inter- est in and command over the great caravan trathc from the East, similar to that which he had established in respect of the trade between Syria and Egypt. See this idea developed in Kitto's Pictorial Bible (note on 2 Chron. viii, 4), where it is shown at some length that the presence of water in this small oasis must early have made this a station for caravans coming west through the desert; and this circumstance probably dictated to Solomon the importance of founding here a garrison town, which would entitle him — in return for the jiro- tection he could give from the depredations of the Arabs, and for offering an intermediate station where the fac- tors of the West might meet tlie merchants of the East — to a certain regulating power, and perhaps to some dues, to which they would find it more convenient to submit than to change the line of route. It is even possible that the Phcenicians, who took much interest in this important trade, pointed out to Solomon the ad- vantage which he and his subjects might derive from the regidation and protection of it by building a forti- fied town in the quarter where it was exposed to the greatest danger. A most important indication in favor of these conjectures is found in the fact that all our in- formation concerning Palmyra from heathen writers de- scribes it as a city of mercViants, who sold to the West- ern nations the products of India and Arabia, and who were so enriched by the traffic that the place became proverbial for luxury and wealth and for the expensive habits of its citizens.
We do not again read of Tadmor in Scripture, nor is it likely that the Hebrews retained possession of it long after the death of Solomon. No other source acquaints us with the subsequent history of the place, till it reap- pears in the account of Pliny {IJist. Nat. v, 24) as a con- sideraljle town, which, along with its territory, formed an independent state between the Roman and Parthian empires. Afterwards it was mentif)ned by Appian (Be Bell. Civ. V, 9), in reference to a still earlier period of time, in connection with a design of INIark Antony to let his cavalry phmder it. The inhabitants are said to have withdrawn themselves and their effects to a strong position on the Euphrates, and the cavalry en- tered an empty city. In I lie 2d century it seems to have been beautified by the emperor Hadrian, as may be inferred from a statement of Stephaiuis of Byzantium as to the name of the city having been changed to Hadrianopolis (s. v. UaXixvpa). In the beginning of the 3d century it became a Roman colony under Car- acalla (A.D. 211-217), and received the jus Italicum. From this period the influence and wealth of Palmyra rapidly increased. Though nominally subject to Rome, it had a government of its own, and was ruled by its own laws. The public affairs were directed by a senate chosen by the people : and most of its public monuments were built, as the inscriptions show, by " the senate and people." For nearly a century and a half this prosper- ity continued, and it was only checked at length by the pride it generated.
The story of the unfortunate Valerian is well known. Being captured by the Persians, his unworthy son did not use a single effort to release him from the hands of his conquerors. Odenathus, one of the citizens of Pal- myra, revenged the wrongs of the fallen emperor, and vindicated the majesty of Rome. He marched against the Persians, took the province of Mesopotamia, and de- fied Sapor beneath the walls of Ctesiphon (A.D. 260). The services thus rendered to Rome were so great that Odenathus was associated in the sovereignty with Gal- lienus (A.D. 2G4). He enjoyed his dignity but a short period, being murdered by his nephew at a banquet in the city of Emcsa only three years afterwards. His reign was brief, but tjrilliant. Not only was Sapor con- quered and Valerian revenged, but Syrian rebels and