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THE LAND OF THE MISFIT QUEENS
Who was Queen Zenobia, and Why was she at war with Rome?
I am ecstatic to take you back in time to 3rd century Syria. The Roman Empire continued to expand its vast borders, occupying region after region. Notorious for rejecting Roman advances, the Palmyrene Empire (modern-day Syria) sought to maintain its integrity with the help of its strong ruler, Queen Zenobia.
Early Life
Zenobia, birthname Julia Aurelia Zenobia, was born around 240 CE in the Palmyrene Empire. Historians know very little of her parentage, but she received the appropriate education as a noble child of the empire. Since the Roman Empire occupied Palmyrene as a province, Zenobia was also born a Roman citizen. Knowing that she was Palmyrene, she was most likely of Aramean and Arabic ancestry.
Zenobia enjoyed hunting in her youth as well as shepherding. While growing up, she learned many languages, including Greek, Latin, and Aramaic. Due to her arranged marriage to Lucius Septimus Odaenthus, the Roman governor of Syria, at the age of 14, her youth was unfortunately cut short.
