Zabdas

Zabdas was a 3rd-century Syrian general who led the forces of Empress Zenobia of Palmyra during her rule as regent of her son Vaballathus and her subsequent rebellion against the Roman Emperor under the short-lived independent Palmyrene Empire.

He led Palmyra's expeditions in the middle east which included annexing territory spanning from Roman Egypt to Asia Minor.

Aided by another general of the army, Septimius Zabbai, and Zenobia herself, Zabdas started an expedition against the Tanukhids in the spring of 270, during the reign of emperor Claudius II.

[5] The Roman governor of Arabia, a certain Trassus, confronted Palmyra's approaching army while commanding the Legio III Cyrenaica,[6] but was routed and killed in action.

The invasion of Egypt is sometimes explained by Zenobia's desire to secure an alternative trade route to the Euphrates, which was cut because of the war with Persia,[11] although the Euphrates route was only partially disrupted, and Zenobia's personal ambition and political motivation to establish Palmyrene dominance over the east definitely played a part in her decision to invade Egypt.

[12] Afterward, in 271, Zabbai, another Palmyrene general serving Zenobia, started the operations in Asia Minor, and was joined by Zabdas in the spring of that year.