Empress Zenobia: Palmyra's Rebel Queen
The ancient sources for the life and times of Zenobia are sparse, and the surviving literary works are biased towards the Roman point of view, much as are the sources for two other famous women who challenged Rome, Cleopatra and Boudica. In Empress Zenobia, Pat Southern seeks to tell the other side of the legendary 3rd century queen's place in history.\ As queen of Palmyra (present-day Syria), Zenobia was acknowledged in her lifetime as beautiful and clever, gathering round her at the...
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Contemporary sources acknowledged her beauty and influence 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. Her voice was clear and like that of a man. Her sternness, when necessity demanded, was that of a tyrant, her clemency that of a good emperor. After seizing Egypt and much of Asia Minor, she was finally defeated and brought back to Rome in chains by the emperor Aurelian. Zenobia's story of intrigue, beauty and power has inspired many melodramatic fictions but few factual volumes of authority have been published. This book is a lively account that is up to date and authoritative and an engaging read.
Illustrations viiPreface and Acknowledgements ix1 Zenobia in History and Legend 1The Historical Zenobia 2The Family of Zenobia 4The Status and Family of Odenathus 6The Children of Zenobia and Odenathus 9The Legend of Zenobia 10Travellers to Palmyra 13Zenobia in Literature and Art 142 Palmyra and Rome 17Annexation by Rome 20The Palmyrene Militia 24Organization of Palmyrene Trade 27The Caravans and their Leaders 28Luxury Goods 30Trade Routes 31Palmyra, Rome and Parthia 33The Rise of Septimius Severus 35Changes in the Palmyrene Militia 37The Late Severan Dynasty and the Rise of the Persians 38The Roman Response 40The Decline of Palmyrene Trade 42Odenathus, Chief of the Palmyrenes 43Shapur I, King of Kings 46The Emperor Valerian and Odenathus 473 Septimius Odenathus: Restorer of the East 57Macrianus and His Sons Seize Power 58Odenathus, Restorer of the East 61Literary Sources 62Dux Romanorum 63Corrector totius orientis? 67The Campaign against the Persians 70King of Kings 71The Last Years of Odenathus 754 Zenobia Widowed 83The Representation of Vaballathus as Ruler 84Gaining the Support of the Eastern Kingdoms and Provinces 86Relations with Rome 89Protection of the Eastern Frontier 91Queen and Regent 92Queen and Court 955 Septimia Zenobia Augusta 101Economic and Defence Motives in Palmyrene Expansion 103The Roman World in 269-70 105Arabia 106Egypt 110Asia Minor 116Zenobia's Rule of the East 1186 Aurelian and the Roman Recovery 131The Roman Recovery of Egypt 131Aurelian's March to Syria 133The Battle of Immae 135The Defeat of thePalmyrene Garrison at Daphne 138The Battle of Emesa 138The So-called Siege of Palmyra 1407 Aftermath 149The Rebellion of the Palmyrenes 152The Revolt of Firmus in Egypt 155The Fate of Zenobia 156Zenobia: Rebel and Usurper, or Heroine and Patriot? 161Glossary 165Notes 173Bibliography 197Index 209
