See also

Family of Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus and Zenobia +

Husband: Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus (c. 206-266)
Wife: Zenobia + (240-274)
Children: Eusebius + (c. 260-375)
Hairan (c. 263- )
Vaballathus (266-273)

Husband: Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus

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Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus

Name: Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus
Sex: Male
Father: Lucius + HEROD Septimus (c. 180- )
Mother: -
Birth 0206 (est)
Occupation Ruler of the Palmyrene Empire
Death 0266 (age 59-60)
Cause: killed by his nephew Maeonius

Wife: Zenobia +

Name: Zenobia +
Sex: Female
Father: Jul + ZENOBIUS + Aur (229- )
Mother: Zabbai + of ARABIA (c. 225- )
Birth 0240 Palmyra, Syria
Occupation Queen of Palmyra
Title Queen of Palmyra
Death 0274 (age 33-34)

Child 1: Eusebius +

Name: Eusebius +
Sex: Male
Birth 0260 (est)
Death 0375 (age 114-115)

Child 2: Hairan

Name: Hairan
Sex: Male
Birth 0263 (est)

Child 3: Vaballathus

Name: Vaballathus
Sex: Male
Birth 0266
Death 0273 (age 6-7)

Note on Husband: Lucius + ODAINATH Septimus

Lucius Septimius Odaenathus, Odenathus or Odenatus the Latinized form of the Syriac Odainath, was a ruler of Palmyra, Syria and later of the short lived Palmyrene Empire, in the second half of the 3rd century, who succeeded in recovering the Roman East from the Persians and restoring it to the Empire.

 

[edit] LifeHis full name was Lucius Septimius Odainath.[1] His gentilicium Septimius shows that his family received the Roman citizenship under an emperor of the Severan dynasty, and thus it was the leading family in Palmyra since the 190s. He was the son of Lucius Septimius Herod (Hairan), the "senator and chief of Tadmor", the son of Vaballathus (Wahballath), the son of Nasor.[2]

 

The year when Odaenathus became chief of Palmyra is not known, but already in an inscription dated 258 he is styled "the illustrious consul our lord" (N.S.I. No. 126). In his wife, the renowned Zenobia, he found an able supporter of his policy.

 

The defeat and captivity of the emperor Valerian in 260 left the eastern provinces largely at the mercy of the Persians; the prospect of Persian supremacy was not one which Palmyra or its ruler had any reason to desire. At first, it seems, Odaenathus attempted to propitiate the Persian monarch Shapur I; but when his gifts were contemptuously rejected (Petr. Patricius, 10) he decided to throw in his lot with the cause of Rome. The neutrality which had made Palmyra's fortune was abandoned for an active military policy which, while it added to Odaenathus's fame, in a short time brought his native city to its ruin. He fell upon the victorious Persians returning home after the sack of Antioch, and before they could cross the Euphrates inflicted upon them a considerable defeat.

 

Then, when two usurping emperors were proclaimed in the East (261), Odaenathus took the side of Gallienus the son and successor of Valerian, attacked and put to death the usurper Quietus at Emesa (modern Homs) and was rewarded for his loyalty by the grant of an exceptional position (262). He may have assumed the title of king before; but he now became totius Orientis imperator, not indeed joint-ruler, nor Augustus, but independent lieutenant of the emperor for the East (Mommsen, Provinces, ii. p. 103).

 

In a series of rapid and successful campaigns, during which he left Palmyra under the charge of Septimius Worod his deputy (N.S.I. Nos. 127-129), he crossed the Euphrates and relieved Edessa, recovered Nisibis and Carrhae (modern Harran). He even took the offensive against the power of Persia, and twice invaded the Persian capital Ctesiphon itself; probably also he brought back Armenia into the Empire. These successes restored the Roman rule in the East; and Gallienus did not disdain to hold a triumph with the captives and trophies which Odaenathus had won (264). Odaenathus celebrated his victories in the East sharing with his eldest son Hairan (Herodes)[3] the eastern title "king of kings".

 

While observing all due formalities towards his overlord, there is considerable evidence that Odaenathus aimed at becoming emperor; but during his lifetime there was no conflict with Rome. He was about to start for Cappadocia against the Goths when he was assassinated, together with Hairan, by his nephew Maeonius. There have been suggestions that this deed of violence was instigated by Rome, but there is no evidence in the historical records to corroborate the charge.

 

According to Historia Augusta, Maeonius killed Odaenathus and his son Hairan during a celebration, because of a conspiracy organized by Zenobia, second wife of Odaenathus, who wanted their son Vaballathus to succeed Odaenathus instead of Hairan (who was the son of Odaenathus by another woman). According to Gibbon, the murder was revenge for a short confinement imposed by Odaenathus to Maeonius for being disrespectful. After his death (266-267), Zenobia succeeded to his position and practically governed Palmyra on behalf of the young Vaballathus.

Note on Wife: Zenobia +

Zenobia (Julia Aurelia Zenobia Cleopatra) (240 – c. 274 AD) was a 3rd-century Syrian queen of the Palmyrene Empire who led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267. By 269, Zenobia had expanded the empire, conquering Egypt and expelling the Roman prefect, Tenagino Probus, who was beheaded after he led an attempt to recapture the territory. She ruled over Egypt until 274, when she was defeated and taken as a hostage to Rome by Emperor Aurelian.

 

Zenobia was born and raised in Palmyra, Syria. Her Roman name was Iulia Aurelia Zenobia, In Greek, she is known as Zenobía (Greek: ? ????ß?a), which is cognate with Arabic Zainab (Arabic: ???????), or Septimia Zenobia, having added Septimia after marrying Septimius Odaenathus. Zenobia herself signed official documents Bat-Zabbai (daughter of al-Zabba’).

 

Zenobia appears to have been of Arab ancestry, though her lineage may have included other influences. Epigraphic and Western sources are largely silent regarding her immediate family origins. Her father's Roman name was Iulius Aurelius Zenobius, with the gentilicium Aurelius showing that his paternal ancestors received Roman citizenship under either Marcus Aurelius (reigned 161-180), or Commodus (reigned 180-192). Her father's Greek name was Antiochus, according to scriptures found in Palmyra. However, according to the Augustan History (Aurel. 31.2), his name was Achilleus and his usurper was named Antiochus (Zos. 1.60.2). Traceable up to six generations, her father's paternal ancestry includes Sampsiceramus, a Syrian chieftain who founded the Royal Family of Emesa (modern Homs, Syria) and Gaius Julius Bassianus, a high priest from Emesa and father of Roman Empress Julia Domna.

 

Zenobia claimed to be a descendant of Dido, Queen of Carthage, the King of Emesa Sampsiceramus, and the Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Though there is no concrete evidence of this, she did have knowledge of the ancient Egyptian language, showed a predisposition towards Egyptian culture, and may have been part Egyptian through her mother.[1] According to the Augustan History, an imperial declaration of hers in 269 was sent to the citizens of Alexandria, Egypt, describing the city as “my ancestral city”. This declaration only fits Vaballathus, the son of Zenobia. Historian Callinicus dedicated a ten-book history of Alexandria to a "Cleopatra," who can only be Zenobia.

 

Zenobia is descended from Sampsiceramus, Dido, and Cleopatra VII through Drusilla of Mauretania. Drusilla was a daughter of King Ptolemy of Mauretania and Queen Julia Urania of Mauretania. Drusilla’s mother most probably came from the Royal Family of Emesa and married into the Mauretanian royal family. Drusilla’s paternal grandmother, the Queen of Mauretania Cleopatra Selene II, was a daughter of the Ptolemaic Greek Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. Drusilla’s paternal grandfather, the African King Juba II of Mauretania, claimed to be a descendant of the sister of the General of Carthage, Hannibal (Lucan. Pharsalia 8.287). Hannibal’s family, the Barcids, claimed to be descended from Dido’s younger brother.

 

Both Classical and Arabic sources describe Zenobia as beautiful and intelligent with a dark complexion, pearly white teeth, and bright black eyes.[2] She was said to be even more beautiful than Cleopatra, differing though in her reputation for extreme chastity.[2] Sources also describe Zenobia as carrying herself like a man, riding, hunting and drinking on occasion with her officers.[2] Well educated and fluent in Greek, Aramaic, and Egyptian, with working knowledge of Latin, tradition accords her renown for hosting literary salons and surrounding herself with philosophers and poets, the most famous of these being Cassius Longinus.[2][3]

 

[edit] Queen of Palmyra

Inscription of Zenobia at Palmyra

Empires of the Mediterranean in 271.

The Palmyrene Empire under Zenobia is shown in yellowZenobia married King of Palmyra Septimius Odaenathus by 258; she was his second wife. She had a stepson, Hairan, a son from Odaenathus’ first marriage. There is the inscription ‘the illustrious consul our lord’ at Palmyra, dedicated to Odaenathus, who was chief of Palmyra, by Zenobia, who was a supporter of his.

 

Around 266, Zenobia and Odaenathus had a son, his second child, Lucius Iulius Aurelius Septimius Vaballathus Athenodorus. Her son Vaballathus (Latin from Arabic ??? ?????, 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 throne.

 

[edit] Invasions of Egypt and AnatoliaIn 269 Zenobia, her army, and the Palmyrene General Zabdas violently conquered Egypt with help from their Egyptian ally, Timagenes, and his army. The Roman prefect of Egypt, Tenagino Probus and his forces, tried to expel them from Egypt, but Zenobia's forces captured and beheaded Probus. She then proclaimed herself Queen of Egypt. After these initial forays, Zenobia became known as a "Warrior Queen". In leading her army, she displayed significant prowess: she was an able horse rider and would walk three or four miles with her foot soldiers.

 

Zenobia, with her large army, made expeditions and conquered Anatolia as far as Ancyra or Ankara and Chalcedon, followed by Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon. In her short-lived empire, Zenobia took the vital trade routes in these areas from the Romans. Roman Emperor Aurelian, who was at that time campaigning with his forces in the Gallic Empire, probably did recognise the authority of Zenobia and Vaballathus. However, this relationship began to break down when Aurelian began a military campaign to reunite the Roman Empire in 272-273. Aurelian and his forces left the Gallic Empire and arrived in Syria. The forces of Aurelian and Zenobia met and fought near Antioch. After a crushing defeat, the remaining Palmyrenes briefly fled into Antioch and then into Emesa.

 

Zenobia was unable to remove her treasury at Emesa before Aurelian successfully entered and besieged the city. Zenobia and her son escaped Emesa by camel with help from the Sassanids, but they were captured on the Euphrates River by Aurelian’s horsemen. Zenobia’s short-lived Egyptian kingdom and the Palmyrene Empire had ended. The remaining Palmyrenes who refused to surrender were captured by Aurelian and were exeuted on his orders. Among those who were put to death was Zenobia's chief counselor and Greek sophist, Cassius Longinus.

 

 

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Triumph of Aurelian, 1717, Museo del Prado.[edit] RomeZenobia and Vaballathus were taken as hostages to Rome by Aurelian. Vaballathus is presumed to have died on his way to Rome. In 274, Zenobia reportedly appeared in golden chains in Aurelian’s military triumph parade in Rome.

 

There are multiple reasons put forth for Zenobia's death— illness, hunger strike, or beheading being some of the oft-cited. The happiest account, though, is that Aurelian, impressed by her beauty and dignity and out of a desire for clemency, freed Zenobia and granted her an elegant villa in Tibur (modern Tivoli, Italy). She supposedly lived in luxury and she became a prominent philosopher, socialite and Roman matron. Zenobia is said to have married a Roman governor and senator whose name is unknown. They had several daughters, whose names are also unknown, but who are reported to have married into Roman noble families. She would have further descendants surviving into the 4th and 5th centuries. The evidence of a descendant of Zenobia can reportedly be confirmed by an inscription found in Rome. The inscription Lucius Septimia Patavinia Balbilla Tyria Nepotilla Odaenathiania contains the names of her first son Septimius Odaenathus. He probably was named in honor of Zenobia's first husband. (After the deaths of Odaenathus and his sons, Odaenathus had no descendants). Another possible descendant of Zenobia is Saint Zenobius of Florence, a Christian bishop who lived in the 5th century.