Palmyra, AD 46. Rome and Parthia compete for influence over the strategically placed desert kingdom, and Macro and Cato are sent with a small force to support its ruler. Court factions and disputed loyalties make the city as dangerous as the enemy army approaching across the frontier. Outnumbered and distant from reinforcement, the Roman officers must organise a defence while deciding which local allies will remain loyal once battle begins.
Palmyra’s value comes from its position between Roman and Parthian spheres of influence. A local succession dispute can therefore alter the strategic balance of the eastern frontier, making court politics as important as the approaching army.
Macro and Cato have too few troops to impose a simple Roman solution. They must work through local allies whose interests may change as soon as defeat seems possible. The defence becomes a test of whether military discipline can compensate for political uncertainty in a client kingdom.
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