ZENOBIA ASPIRES TO CREATE AN EMPIRE

In 267 C.E., at the height of his career, Odaenathus and his heir were assassinated. Zenobia took over her husband's position,  since her son was too young to do so. Beautiful, ambitious, capable as an administrator, accustomed to campaigning with her husband, and fluent in several languages, she managed to command the respect and support of her subjects. Zenobia had a love for learning and surrounded herself with intellectuals.  One of her advisers was philosopher and rhetorician  Cassius Longinus-said to have been "a living library and a walking museum."  In the book Palmyra and its Empire-Zenobia's Revolt Against Rome, author Richard Stoneman notes: "During the five years after the death of Odenathus. . .,Zenobia had established herself in the minds of her people as mistress of the East."

On one side of Zenobia's domain was Persia, which she and her husband had crippled, and on the other was foundering Rome.  Regarding conditions in the Roman Empire at that time, historian J.M. Roberts says: "The third century was .  . .a terrible time for Rome on the frontiers east and west alike, while at home a new period of civil war and disputed successions had begun. Twenty-two emperors (excluding pretenders) came and went."  The Syrian mistress, on the other hand, was a well-established absolute monarch in her realm.  "Controlling the balance of two empires [Persian and Roman]," observes Stoneman, "she could aspire to create a third that would dominate them  both." 

An opportunity for Zenobia to expand her regal powers came in 269 C.E. when a pretender disputing Roman rulership appeared in Egypt. Zenobia's army swiftly marched into Egypt, crushed the rebel, and took possession of the country. Proclaiming herself queen of Egypt, she minted the coins in her own name. Her kingdom now stretched from the river Nile to the river Euphrates. It was at this point in her life that Zenobia came to occupy the position of "the king of the south." -Daniel 11:25, 26.

Next time: ZENOBIA'S CAPITAL CITY

From the book:  PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999