Queen of Palmyra
Zenobia had married Septimius Odaenathus, the King of Palmyra, by 258; she was his second wife. She had a stepson, Hairan, a son from Odaenathus’ first marriage. There is an inscription, ‘the illustrious consul our lord’ at Palmyra, dedicated to Odaenathus by Zenobia. Around 266, Zenobia and Odaenathus had a son, his second child, Lucius Julius Aurelius Septimius Vaballathus Athenodorus. Her son Vaballathus (Latin from Aramaic והב אלת, Wahballat "Gift of the Goddess") inherited the name of Odaenathus’ paternal grandfather.
In 267, Zenobia’s husband and stepson were assassinated. The titled heir, Vaballathus, was only a year old, so his mother succeeded her husband and ruled Palmyra. Zenobia bestowed upon herself and her son the honorific titles of Augusta and Augustus. Zenobia conquered new territories and increased the Palmyrene Empire in the memory of her husband and as a legacy to her son. Her stated goal was to protect the Eastern Roman Empire from the Sassanid Empire, for the peace of Rome; however, her efforts significantly increased the power of her own throne.
Read more about this topic: Zenobia
Famous quotes containing the words queen of and/or queen:
“Happy are your wives! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom!”
—Bible: Hebrew, 1 Kings 10:8.
The queen of Sheba to Solomon.
“Ah petal, dust and wind-fall
on the ground queen awaiting queen.”
—Hilda Doolittle (18861961)