[1] The sack marked the beginning of Zenobia's military operations to consolidate Palmyrene authority over the Roman east.

[3] Another factor may have been the weakness of Roman central authority over its eastern provinces and its corresponding inability to protect them, which harmed Palmyrene trade and probably convinced Zenobia that the only way to maintain stability in the East was to control the region directly.

[1] Regardless, the defiance of the Tanukhids and the merchant class of Alexandria against Palmyrene domination triggered a military response from Zenobia.

[1] The attack seemed to be intentionally timed, as Zenobia commanded Zabdas to move the Palmyrene army south to Bostra while the Romans were preoccupied with their battles against the Goths in the mountains of Thrace.

[4] The Roman governor of Arabia, a certain Trassus, who at the time was commanding the Legio III Cyrenaica,[5] confronted the approaching Palmyrene army, but was routed and killed.