Zenobia

Zenobia
Queen of Palmyra Empress
Zenobia as Augusta (empress) on the obverse of an Antoninianus (272 AD)
Empress
Tenure	272 AD
Predecessor	Title created
Successor	None
Queen mother of Palmyra
Tenure	267–272
Predecessor	Title created
Successor	None
Queen consort of Palmyra
Tenure	260–267
Predecessor	Title created
Successor	None
Born	c. 240 Palmyra, Syria
Died	After 274
Spouse	Odaenathus
Issue	Vaballathus Hairan II
Full name Septimia Zenobia (Bat-Zabbai)

Septimia Zenobia (Palmyrene: (Btzby), pronounced Bat-Zabbai; c.240–c.274) was a third-century queen of the Syria-based Palmyrene Empire. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was certainly born to a noble Palmyrene family and married the ruler of the city, Odaenathus. Her husband became king in 260, elevating Palmyra to supreme power in the Near East by defeating the Sassanians and stabilizing the Roman East. After Odaenathus' assassination, Zenobia became the regent of her son Vaballathus and held de facto power throughout his reign.

In 270, Zenobia launched an invasion which brought most of the Roman East under her sway and culminated with the annexation of Egypt. By mid-271 her realm extended from Ankara in the north to southern Egypt, although she remained nominally subordinate to Rome. However, in reaction to Roman emperor Aurelian's campaign in 272, Zenobia declared her son emperor and assumed the title of empress (declaring Palmyra's secession from Rome). The Romans were victorious after heavy fighting; the queen was besieged in her capital and captured by Aurelian, who exiled her to Rome where she spent the remainder of her life.

Zenobia was a cultured monarch and fostered an intellectual environment in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers. She was tolerant toward her subjects, and protected religious minorities. The queen maintained a stable administration which governed a multicultural, multiethnic empire. Zenobia died after 274, and many tales have been recorded about her fate. Her rise and fall have inspired historians, artists and novelists, and she is a national hero in Syria.

Her face was dark and of a swarthy hue, her eyes were black and powerful beyond the usual wont, her spirit divinely great, and her beauty incredible. So white were her teeth that many thought that she had pearls in place of teeth.