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Zenobia
Zenobia was a third-century queen of Palmyra, a “warrior queen.” Zenobia led her people in a war against Rome, much like Boudica did in England. Zenobia appears to have been an Arab, although she may have had many other dashes of blood in her, including Aramaean. Palmyrene inscriptions are found in the Greek, Latin and Aramaic languages. Although Zenobia claimed to have been a descendent of Cleopatra (of Egypt), there appears to be no concrete evidence of that. She did, however, know the Egyptian language and had a strong predisposition towards the Egyptian culture. Her mother may have been Egyptian. By associating herself with a past, glorious woman warrior, Zenobia understood the power of good public relations.
Zenobia did indeed come from a long history of fabulous Syrian and Abyssinian queens, including the Queen of Sheba. The Assyrian records speak of troublesome Arab queens such as Zabibi, who revolted but was finally subjugated in 738 B.C. Through the years, many powerful queens ruled, both through their husbands and for their offspring. Julia Maesa ruled for her son the Emperor Alexander and accompanied him on a campaign in 234 A.D.
Even 100 years after Zenobia’s disappearance, those mighty women warriors continued to rule. For example, there was another Syrian Arab queen named Mawai who rode at the head of her army. She led troops into Phoenicia and Palestine, ravaged the land to the frontiers of Egypt and defeated the Roman army.
This riding into battle was an important element for Zenobia’s success. A woman’s presence at a battle is an inspiration (rather like a goddess figure) common to the Arabs, in the pre-Islamic tradition of the Lady of Victory. This Lady of Victory, her hair flowing and her body party exposed, appealed to valor and passion.
Zenobia’s career was also influenced by the geographical situation of Palmyra, halfway between two mighty and contending empires, one of which was Rome. Zenobia came from a complex civilization, which had been deeply affected by Rome.
In approximately 114 A. D., Palmyra had become part of the Roman Empire, although the Emperor Hadrian allowed the city considerable liberty which enabled Rome to benefit from its renown archers as defenders of his frontier against the Parthians. At the beginning of the third century, Emperior Septimius Severus made Palmyra into a colony and allowed an elected senate to manage its business; many Palmyrenes began adding Roman names to their Semitic ones.
Palmyra was not a remote Bedouin outpost! No, it was a vital trading link to the Mediterrean cities of Phoenicia, Emesa (now known as Homs in Western Syria), Damascus and to Egypt itself. These trading routes provided much money to those in Palmyra and the people became very wealthy. However, the collapse of the Parthian Empire and the Sassanids taking the throne of Persia in 227 A.D. ended this prosperous status quo. It was under these circumstances, in 258 A.D., that Zenobia’s husband, Odainat, became a Roman consul. Two years later, the Roman emperor, Valerian was held captive by Sapor I of Persia and was killed. Odainat took to the field with his archers and the cavalry of the desert Arabs. Zenobia was at his side on horseback.
Many conquests were had, including possibly the magnificent treasure of the Persian Emperor. The historians of her era said she was “the better man of the two.” Although there is no proof that Zenobia was more courageous than Odainat, she was more reckless. Her voice was clear and manly, useful for rallying the troops. She could walk with her foot soldiers three or four miles. She could drink with the boys; but she was never intoxicated. Those self same historians claimed a certain virginity of Zenobia, never allowing her husband to lay with her unless she could get pregnant.
Ben Jonson writes of her in his “Masque of Queenes” in 1610, and includes an illustration showing her “chaste” in her helmet with long curling hair flowing beneath it, including one exposed breast.
This Chaste Syndrome sits well with a puritanical picture of the warrior queen, the pure figurehead, her holy virginity equated with the holiness of her cause. (Very similar to Queen Elizabeth of England.)
Her husband and his heir to the throne, Hairan, was assassinated. Zenobia had to assume the regency of Palmyra on behalf of her son. Her immediate reaction to her new position was a savage attack against Egypt, taking advantage that the Roman Empire was hard-pressed in Northern Italy by the Goths. By 269, she had secured most of the country; at the same time, Zenobia annexed most of Syria to her kingdom. Within a few years of taking control, she had carved out a vast empire for formerly tiny Palmyra; from Egypt in the south to the Bosphorus in the north. She then declared herself formally independent of Rome.
She controlled many vital trade routes; she ruled with a tolerance, especially towards the Jews of Alexandria. She established relations with the Christian Bishop of Antioch. The final sling against Rome was the minting of Palmyrene money with her likeness on it. Drawing the ire of Rome could not continue unabated; the Emperor Aurelian’s first task was to secure the reconquest of Egypt, which was fairly simple. The next campaign took Aurelian to Ankara which, again, was a simple conquest. The Palmyrene Queen had overextended herself.
The Palmyrenes decided to make their stand at the Orontes River, just outside Antioch. The two armies were equally matched, unlike the former two Roman reconquests. Zenobia was seen galloping alongside her troops, transmitting orders. At that point, the Romans pretended to flee, luring the Palmyrenes onward until both men and horses were thoroughly tired. As a result, the cavalry was cut off and underwent a horrible slaughter.
Zenobia fell back to Emesa, and it was here her “last battle” took place. She had approximately 70,000 men left as did Aurelian. In those days, this was a very large army/battle indeed. In the end the Palmyrenes were no match for the seasoned Roman legionaries. But Zenobia herself was not captured; she fell back to Palmyra, which was approximately 100 miles across the desert from the battle. Aurelian followed her; laying siege to the city, he finally “conquered” her city. But still not Zenobia herself. Instead, she sneaked out of the beleaguered city, under darkness, riding a female camel. She got as far as the Euphrates River. Here, she was finally captured, either recognized or betrayed.
Facing Aurelian, she demanded immunity on the grounds of being a woman. It is here at the history of Zenobia becomes vague. One historian claims she committed suicide, much like her hero, Cleopatra. However, other evidence suggests that she reached Rome safely where she was made to walk in the Emperor’s triumph. Together with the defeated Goths, Amazon women, and Vandals, walked Zenobia, who had disdained riding in her chariot. She was shackled by golden chains and strode defiantly.
Zenobia, the great survivor, thereafter built herself a new life. She seems to have married a Roman governor and retired to a villa near Tivoli. There was a fifth century bishop of Florence, Zenobius, who may have gotten his name from his ancestor.