Septimius Worod

Septimius Worod was a Palmyrene official and a viceroy for king Odaenathus of Palmyra.[1] He was given the surname Septimius by his monarch.[2]

Worod (Orodes) is an Iranian name; it is theorized that he was a Parthian refugee in the Palmyrene court (following the destruction of Parthia by the Sassanians) or the head of pro-Persian faction in Palmyra.[3] However, Worod's son's name was Arabic "Ogeilo".[4] Udo Hartmann denied that he was a Parthian insisting that Worod was a Palmyrene noble.[3] Worod held many offices in Palmyra including the administration of justice and public notary.[3]

It is known that Odaenathus sent an embassy to Persia at an unknown date and the ambassador might be Worod.[5] Shapur I of Persia, the enemy of Palmyra, in the inscription named Res Gestae Divi Saporis, lists the names of all the foreign officials who submitted to him; one of them is named Werōy Wāzārbed ("Orodes, Chief of the Bazaar"), a Middle Persian equivalent of Worod. This led to many speculations over his identity; the evidence is non-existent and any connection between the two is a mere speculation.[5][5]