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Septimia Zenobia (Palmyrene Aramaic: 𐡡𐡶𐡦𐡡𐡩 , Bat-Zabbai; c. 240 – c. 274) was a third-century queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria. Many legends surround her ancestry; she was probably not a commoner and she married the ruler of the city, Odaenathus.
Apr 17, 2024 · In full: Septimia Zenobia. Aramaic: Znwbyā Bat Zabbai. Died: after 274. Notable Family Members: spouse Septimius Odaenathus. Zenobia (died after 274) was the queen of the Roman colony of Palmyra, in present-day Syria, from 267 or 268 to 272.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Early Life and Family Background. Zenobia, known as Septimia Zenobia in Latin, was born around the middle of the 3rd century, though the exact year remains uncertain. Her birthplace is generally believed to be Palmyra, an important city located in what is now modern-day Syria.
- Origin and Family
- Death of The Husband and Self-Rule on Behalf of The Son
- Expansion and First Conflicts with Rome
- Governance and Queen’s Tolerance
- Settlement with Rome
- Rebellion Against The Emperor and Fall
- Captivity and Further Fate
- Rating
The exact date of Zenobia’s birth is unknown, but it is believed that it was around CE 240. Her Roman name was Julia Aurelia Zenobia. In turn, the girl’s Palmyra name is Bat-Zabbai (spelled “Btzby”, which meant “Zabbai’s daughter”). On a daily basis, however, she used the name Zenobia, which meant “the one that comes from Zeus”. The nineteenth-cent...
In the first centuries CE, Palmyra was a city subordinated to Rome and part of the province of Phenicia. In 260 CE, the Roman Emperor Valerian marched against the King of Persia, Shapur I, who invaded the eastern regions of the Roman Empire. Valerian, however, was defeated at the Battle of Edessa and taken prisoner. Odenatus remained loyal to the R...
In 269, when Claudius Gothicus (Galien’s successor) defended the borders of Italy and the Balkans against German invasions, Zenobia strengthened its position. Roman officials in the east faced a difficult choice, as they had to choose between loyalty to the emperor and the growing demands of Zenobia, who demanded more and more loyalty from them. It...
Zenobia ruled a state made up of various nations. As an inhabitant of Palmyra, she was used to multiculturalism and multilingualism, as her city was a melting pot of nations. The queen state was culturally divided into an East Semitic part and a Hellenistic part. Zenobia tried to reconcile them with herself and apparently managed to get along with ...
Initially, Zenobia avoided provoking Rome, demanding for herself and her son the titles inherited from Odenatus, a subject of Rome and defender of the eastern borders of the empire. After the territorial expansion, she wanted to be recognized as the empire’s partner in its eastern part and introduced her son as the emperor’s subordinate. In late 27...
The Palmyrian inscription, dated August 271, describes Zenobia in Greek as “eusebes” or “pious”. This title, often assumed by Roman empresses, is considered her first step to becoming imperial. Another Greek inscription calls her “sebaste” so meaning “wonderful”, “divine” (Latin for augusta). In late 271, Egyptian grain receipts equated Aurelian an...
When news of the queen’s capture reached Palmyra, the city immediately surrendered to the Romans. Aurelian had taken countless treasures from Palmyra, but he would not let his troops plunder the city. The emperor then sent Zenobia and her courtiers to Emesa, where they were to be tried for treason and rebellion against the empire. The History of Au...
Zenobia was an enlightened ruler and favoured the development of science in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers. She was tolerant of her subjects and protected religious minorities. The Queen maintained a stable administration that ruled over a multicultural and multi-ethnic empire. Her rise to power and fall were an inspiration ...
May 23, 2023 · Septimia Zenobia, better known as Queen Zenobia of Palmyra, was born in Palmyra around 240 CE. Palmyra was a wealthy city located on the Silk Road, an ancient trade route linking China with Parthia and the Roman Empire. Its ruler and Zenobia’s husband – Odaenathus – acted as Roman governor but was actually an independent king.
After her marriage, she was known as Septimia Zenobia, referring to her husband, Septimius Odaenathus. On official documents, she gave her name as Bat-Zabbai (daughter of Al-Zabba'). She was described as beautiful and intelligent.
Zenobia, the Rebel Queen Who Took On Rome. This ancient queen of Palmyra conquered Egypt, captured Roman provinces, and nearly transformed her realm into an empire equal to Rome. Wealth, culture ...
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