In the streets of a Roman city the citizens receive their usual cavalcade of useless news.
"Citizens of Rome" proclaimed the herald "the oracle has foretold light showers and a possible outbreak of diarrhea. The guild of bankers has gone bust after another law passed interfering with their loaning policies. Beware of Christian magic Sabina of the lower north side has fallen ill after trying to mess with a Christian by shouting prophecies at them."
The people tally these as either useless or background noise then they get the largest news of all . The herald declares excitement written on his face "the emperor Gallienus has been reunited with his father" . The people cheer that emperor Valerian has returned their empire can get back on track . Then the herald continues because he to paused in trepidation of the fantastic news. The herald continues and says "father's corpse". The distinction was certainly a very large divergence from what the people expected. The people continue on their regular lives with horrible currency the threat of plague and barbarians. What none of them realize is that this single event will herald in the rebirth of the res publica .
Gallienus looks at his fathers corpse his family couldn't bear the sight of the it. Valerian's body was mutilated turned into a horrid idol for Sassanid pride. Odenathus the man who retrieved the body says "Caesar what are your wishes". The emperor laughs and says "I with my father was alive I with I wasn't weak I wish my family wasn't at risk of assassination I wish a lot of things". Odenathus replies "well whatever you require I am here sir". Gallienus laughs and says "want to help me rebuilt the republic".