Al-Kindi

QueenZenobia

Septimia Zenobia was a third-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Syria, who ruled as Empress (technically still the regent of her son) over the region after the death of her husband, King Odaenathus. In 270, Zenobia launched an invasion thatbroughtmostoftheRomanEastunderhersway and culminated with the annexation of Egypt. By mid-271 her realm extended from Ancyra, central Anatolia, to southern Egypt. Zenobia turned her court into a centre of learning, with many intellectuals and sophists reported in Palmyra during her reign. As academics migrated to the city, it replaced classical learning centres such as Athens for Syrians. Zenobia ruled an empire of different peoples; as a Palmyrene, she was accustomed to dealing with multilingual and multicultural diversity since she hailed from a city which embraced many cultures. The queen's realm was culturally divided into eastern-Semitic and Hellenistic zones; Zenobia tried to appease both, and seems to have successfully appealed to the region's ethnic, cultural and political groups. Her most lasting legacy is in Syria,wherethequeenisanationalsymbol.

BY ABBIE DENNIS PAGE