Who is Zenobia?

Warrior queen of Ancient Palmyra, Zenobia was able to take advantage of the crises of the Roman Empire to establish herself as empress of the East. Virginie Girod tells you about the fate of the woman who won the admiration of the Roman chroniclers of the time, despite their misogynism!

Julie Aurélie Septimia Zénobie was born in Palmyra in the 3rd century AD, when the caravan city had been under Roman domination for almost two hundred years. Located on a major commercial axis with Asia, on the edge of the neighboring Persian Empire, it is one of the most prosperous cities in the Roman East. Member of a family of the merchant aristocracy, Zenobia married the king of Palmyra, Odénat. She is one of those Orientals who feel like they belong to the Roman elite. She knows how to read and write, it also seems that she has learned to hunt; which is not trivial for a woman!

At this time, the Roman Empire was in dire straits: in the absence of a legitimate emperor, the military competed for power. Added to this is an economic crisis, famines, diseases... In 260, Emperor Valerian was even captured by his Persian enemies! Odénat considers it his duty to get the empire out of the crisis. He thus fought the Persians… before being assassinated. It is Zenobia who ensures the regency for her son Vaballath.

A warrior queen, she was quickly exalted by the military successes which ensured her control of the route to India. Her thirst for conquest pushes her towards Egypt, a Roman province: Zenobia turns against Rome! She wants to impose her son as Eastern Roman Emperor. The new Emperor Aurelian cannot let the East become an empire within an empire, especially in the hands of a woman! Zenobia's army is powerful, but it can do nothing against Roman discipline. Captured, Zenobia was not executed. Out of respect for this imperious woman, Aurélien requires her to live privately in a villa near Tivoli.

Themes covered: War, Egypt, Roman Empire, Persian Empire, female leader

“At the heart of history” is a Europe 1 Studio podcast

- Presentation: Virginie Girod 

- Production: Caroline Garnier and Camille Bichler

- Director: Julien Tharaud

- Composition of the original music: Julien Tharaud 

- Writing and Distribution: Nathan Laporte

- Communication: Marie Corpet

- Visual: Sidonie Mangin