Overview

In the third century CE, as the Roman Empire fractured under crisis and invasion, Zenobia: Queen of Palmyra and the Empire That Defied Rome examines the rise of an extraordinary ruler who governed vast territories across the eastern Mediterranean, controlled Rome's vital grain supply, and challenged imperial authority at its most vulnerable moment. This is not a tale of myth or romantic rebellion. It is the story of a sovereign. Drawing on ancient literary sources, archaeology, inscriptions, and numismatic evidence, this book presents a clear, historically grounded account of one of antiquity's most formidable leaders. Zenobia is examined not as an anomaly, but as a ruler shaped by Palmyra's strategic position, cultural hybridity, and Rome's collapse of central power. While the historical analysis is grounded in evidence and critical scholarship, the accompanying images are intentionally romanticised, serving as visual interpretations that evoke the cultural memory and atmosphere of Zenobia's world rather than literal reconstruction. The narrative traces Palmyra's rise as a commercial and political force, Zenobia's transition from regent to queen, the structure and reach of the Palmyrene Empire, and Rome's determined response under Emperor Aurelian. It also confronts the ways Zenobia's authority was reframed by Roman historians and how her legacy was constrained, distorted, and selectively remembered. By situating Zenobia within the realities of imperial governance rather than legend, this work challenges long standing assumptions about power, legitimacy, and female sovereignty in the ancient world. It reveals how authority could be negotiated beyond Rome, and why such challenges were ultimately intolerable to empire. Scholarly yet accessible, this book is ideal for readers interested in ancient history, the Roman East, powerful women of antiquity, and the dynamics of empire and memory. Zenobia ruled briefly, but decisively. Rome reclaimed its territories. History was changed in between.

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9781764367585

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A passionate explorer of humanities, liberal arts, mythology, and epic literature, Peta Oakes (Gaelic Mac Dubhdara), delves into the depths of human storytelling and wisdom traditions. Drawing from the diverse teachings of esteemed institutions like the University of Edinburgh, PENN, Harvard, Yale, and others, Peta seeks to uncover the universal truths embedded within timeless texts.

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