in october of 270, a palmyrene army of 70,000 invaded egypt, and declared zenobia, vaballathus's mother, the queen of egypt. the roman general tenagino probus was able to regain alexandria in november, but was defeated and escaped to the fortress of babylon, where he was besieged and killed by zabdas, a palmyrene general, who continued his march south and secured egypt. afterward, in 271, zabbai, another palmyrene general serving zenobia, started the operations in anatolia, and was joined by zabdas in the spring of that year. the palmyrenes subdued the asian province of galatia, and occupied the regional capital of ancyra, marking the greatest extent of the palmyrene expansion.