Zenobia is one of the great enemies of Rome. From the oasis city of Palmyra (in modern-day Syria), she rose up in rebellion and conquered a great empire from Asia Minor through to Egypt. This episode covers:
the background of Palmyra as an important stop on the Silk Road
just how disastrous the 3rd century was for Rome
how Zenobia's husband Odaenathus saved the eastern empire
how he died
how Zenobia took control on behalf of her son
how she expanded her empire
how Rome fought back and eventually won
conflicting theories on how Zenobia died
what has happened to Palmyra throughout the intervening centuries, and especially recently under ISIS control
Visit the website (herhalfofhistory.com) for sources, transcripts, and pictures.
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The feature image is by Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=126112516
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