Most of the coins of Vabalathus name him as VCRIDR, acknowledging him as a client king. Vabalathus is laureate and therefore clearly subordinate, iconographically, to the Roman emperor, Aurelian, with a spiky radiate crown, who appears on the other side
There is a very rare series, however, where Vabalathus is acknowledged as emperor and a series of deities appear on the reverse. I have just acquired a second example with Hercules on the reverse, holding a club and the apples of the Hisperides.
The revolt was quickly crushed in 272AD. Vabalathus and Zenobia were taken to Rome. Accounts vary as to his fate, some say he died en route while others say he was paraded with Zenobia, his mother, and Tetricus senior and junior who had revolted in Gaul.
