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The Near East and more comes to life in West of Eden. |
Queen Zenobia {Archived}
(- threads, 176 posts)
 Queen Zenobia's History
Role Play Thread
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Zenobia was an ancient queen of the Eastern city of Palmyra who became a substantial threat to the Roman empire. The philosopher Longinus was her personal tutor. She was said to be quite beautiful, and was highly intelligent, speaking numerous languages, and competently ruling her domain. Some see her ambition as her downfall.
Her husband, king Odenathus, had successfully developed Palmyra, an oasis city on the trade route between China, Persia, and Rome, to the point of it being the economic and cultural centre of the east.
After his death by assassination, Zenobia began an expansion of Palmyrian territory, which came to include eastern Asia Minor, Syria, northern Mesopotamia, and even Egypt. While Odenathus had for years been an important ally to Rome, Zenobia sought to take advantage of the Roman empire's precariousness, largely as a result of the preoccupation with frontier tribal wars, to expand her own empire.
The fragility of the Roman empire during the time of Zenobia's rule is exemplified by the fact that the Roman emperor Valerian (ruled 253Ð60) had even been captured by Shapur I, the king of Persia. Shapur reputedly used Valerian as his personal footstool, and he died in custody.
Later, when Aurelian (ruled 270-275) became emperor, he undertook a campaign to destroy Zenobia's ambitions. According to the ancient historian Vopiscus, Aurelian, campaigning in the East, wrote to her and demanded her surrender. In Zenobia's response, she made reference to the fact that Cleopatra, whom she claimed as an ancestor, committed suicide rather than allowing herself to be captured by the Romans, and confidently asserted that she would be the one victorious, given her alliances. Vopiscus has Zenobia state that "the Persians do not abandon us, and we will wait their succors. The Saracens and the Armenians are on our side. The brigands of Syria have defeated your army, O Aurelian; what will it be when we have received the reinforcements which come to us from all sides?".
Aurelian was not intimidated. He surrounded Palmyra and cut Zenobia off from her allies. The Palmyrian cavalry was said to be more powerful than the Roman's, and the soldiers wore heavy armor. In an adroit piece of military strategy, Aurelian had his army pretend to flee, and the Palmyrian's readily gave chase. When they became exhausted, Aurelian turned, and routed his cavalry behind the enemy. They were soundly defeated.
Zenobia attempted to escape, but was captured. Aurelian did not want to put a woman to death, and took her back to Rome, were she was paraded in his triumph wearing chains of gold. She was given a pension and a palace outside of Rome, at a villa in Campania, where she spent her final years.
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My thanks too Reylari! (* Crispina Cassius, Feb 3, 2004 - 13:53 ) Thank you Reylari (* Neima Nebet, Jan 31, 2004 - 14:45 ) Hellinism & Zenobia (* Reylari Socrates, Jan 31, 2004 - 08:45 ) Queen Zenobia art (* Caileadair Etana, Dec 11, 2003 - 14:11 ) Zenobia Refferance_ (* Reylari Socrates, Oct 6, 2003 - 21:02 ) Queen Zenobia more ... *s* (* Neima Nebet, Aug 21, 2003 - 20:24 ) Introduction and Summary (* Neima Nebet, Aug 21, 2003 - 20:18 ) Queen Zenobia and Palmyra (* Neima Nebet, Aug 21, 2003 - 17:46 )|
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