Zenobia of Palmyra

The Syrian Queen who Defied Rome

1800 years ago, the prosperous and cultured province of Palmyra audaciously broke away from the Roman Empire, led by a woman named Zenobia.

When her husband, King Odaenathus was killed, Zenobia became the regent in name, but the holder of supreme power behind the scenes.

Taking advantage of a crisis in the Roman Empire, she took over Egypt from Rome, then Asia Minor and the Levant, rapidly expanding her empire.

A brilliant military commander, she did this by waging war on Roman provinces while outwardly continuing to be the peaceful gatekeeper of the Roman East, driving her agenda with no open conflict.

This worked well until the Roman emperor Aurelian decided he wanted his provinces back. He tore through her lands, destroying every city in his wake and finally defeating Zenobia’s army. Caught while trying to flee to safety, she was taken prisoner and forcibly brought back to Aurelian, supposedly in golden chains. Embarrassed that a woman had brought Rome down on its knees, he likely had her hurriedly tried and exiled to a quiet villa.

Of mixed heritage, Zenobia spoke Greek, Latin, Aramaic and Egyptian, and claimed descent from Cleopatra. Her courts were centres of culture, learning and religious tolerance, where she wore Tyrian Purple (reserved for Roman emperors), and perhaps just as well, since she nearly transformed Palmyra into an empire equal to Rome.