The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-28
TWENTY FAMOUS WOMEN
SOLDIERS OF THE WORLD
No. 4-zENoBIA.

Septimia Zenobia. the dashihg queen 1
Of Palmyra, of the third century, would /
have been considered an advanced |
woman, even in this. twentieth century.
Historians. who often vary, all agree
when it comes to recording the accom-
plishments and virtues of Zenobia-
She was a womanly woman, though
q great soldier; feminine in her tastes
and affections, with a masculine intel
lect. In point of beauty she rivalied
her famous kinswoman. Cleopatra, for
Zenobia also was descended from the
PtOlomies of Egypt. Her agile form
when engaged in the cOunsels OF war,
was enveloped in a purple mantle edged
with Jewels and caught at the waist
with a buckle, leaving her right arm
bare to the shoulder On her head she
wore a helmet Her voice was melodi-
Gus to a marked degree Her CONVEX
ration charmingly vivacious. She was
a linguist. speaking Latin, Greek,
Syriac and Egyptian. She was stu
dent being familiar with the works OF
Plato and Horace, and she herself COM
piled 1.-The Annals of Alexandra and
the East" an authentic history OF
Egypt, much used in her day. =
The arts and sciences hOuTished under
Zenobia as never before, and Palmyra
rivalled Rome in the splendor of its
palaces. monuments, libraries, schools
and museums, and yet this wonderful
woman found time to personally super
intend the education of her three boys.
Wife of krabia's Great Commoner.
The marriage of Zenobia to Odena
thus was a love match. Odenathus was
the great commOner Of Arabia, having
risen from the humblest ranks of the
people to the throne by his own merits.
He was a born statesman and a great
warrior The Roman senate had recOg-
nized his services to that empire by
making him their ally and comforting
the title of Augustus upon him. 1t was
under the able instructions of the king
that Zenobia became skilled in the tao
tics of war she accompanied him on all
of his expeditions. was his counsellor
and the sharer in his victories. Riding
at his side at the head of the troops
and during the conflict, dashing into
the thickest of the fray with a courage
and daring which won the alteration
OF the entire army.
During the intervals of 4ace, the
king. who was passionateiy fond of
hunting, spent much time at the pur-
suit of big game. the queen being his
only rival. The romance of this royal
pair was the pride and interest of their
subjects.
At the assassination of Odenathus
and his son. by a former marriage, at
a banquet in A d. 273. by an migrate
nephew, Zenobia had the ASA ssin seized
and Immediately put to death Her
grief was inconsolable. She took up the
reins of government, however. and as
sembling her army, marched out to
meet the Roman troops whom the
treacherous emperor had ordered to
Palmyra. on learning of the demise of
the king. thinking to dethrOne Zenobia
and annex Palmyra. The alert, queenly
soldier with her army, drawn ready for
battle, was waiting for them within
one hundred miles from Palmyra In
the terrible engagement which ensued.
the queen proved herself a worthy sue
CessOr of her illUstriOus husband. de-
feating the Romans with great losses,
putting them to fight and pursuing
them TO the borders of her kingdom
Zenobia ruled Palmyra for years, sue
cessfully routing every enemy, and con-
stantly charging her domains until she
had become the greatest power the east
had ever had. When Claudius the Sec