Description

Though details of her family origin are cloudy, she was clearly born to nobility. Zenobia was educated, spoke 3 languages, and was a skilled equestrian. In 260 Zenobia, wife of Odenathus ruler of Palmyra, accompanied her husband on campaigns to enlarge his kingdom. The successful Palmyrene army brought much of Asia-Minor into the Palmyrene Empire.
In 266 Odenathus was assassinated. Zenobia became ruler; and on behalf of her young son, caught and executed the assassin and rallied the army to squash the nascent rebellion.
Having been the deceased king’s partner in commanding the Palmyrene forces, Zenobia continued the expansion of Palmyrene territory.

Palmyra, once a client state of Rome was now in conflict with Roman interests. In 272 Roman legions, under their new emperor Aurelian, defeated Zenobia’s army at Antioch. Zenobia was interned by Aurelian and sent to Rome, a prisoner to be displayed in chains.
In his epic Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbons wrote: “Zenobia is perhaps the only female whose superior genius broke through the servile indolence imposed on her sex by the climate and manners of Asia. She equaled in beauty her ancestor Cleopatra and far surpassed that princess in chastity and valor.”
Subsequent Zenobia’s display as a captive in the Aurelian triumph, Romans were loath to execute this remarkable woman. She lived the rest of her life in Rome as wife of a high-born Roman.