Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-06

An amazon, il ever there was one;
an earlier Joan Of Arc without the
French maids religious impulse, an
empress who at one time ruled over Pal
myra, Syria, Egypt and large part Oh
Asia Minor Zenobia was one OF the
great figures Of the early days of the
Christian era Her capital, Palmyra. was
the most regal city of the age. Its Tenn
ple of the Sun outshone in beauty the
Parthenon and imperial Rome had nothing
to equal the great quadrangle of snowy
pillars, 74O feet to a side, or longer than
the Capitol at Washington.
Over this great city ruled Odenatus
King of Syria, mighty chiefta1n to
whom Rome in the days OF their amlty
gave the proud title of Augustus But
one mightier than the king ruled with
him in the person of his queen, Zenobia
What was the origin of this brilliant
woman, what the race whence she
sprung Is lost in the vague traditions OF
a people who read little. wrote less and
perpetuated their history merely by word
of mouth from father to son. Some
have said that she was the daughter of an
Arab chief: others that she was descend
ed from Solomon, who according to the
Scriptures founded Palmyra. She her
self claimed to be descended from Cleo
patra. Gibbon sums all up by saying:
"She claimed her descent from the Mace
DOMAIN kings of Egypt. equaled in beauty
her ancestor Cleopatra, and far surpassed
that princess in chastity and valor."
Helmet and Robes Bejeweled.
An early historian, Thebellius Polio.
writing while the traditions of Zenobia
were still fresh. says of her:
She went in state to the assemblies
of the people in a helmet with a purple
band fringed with jewels. Her robe was
clasped with a diamond buckle and she
often wore her arm bare. Her complex
ion was a dark brown, her eyes black
and sparkling and OF uncommon nre'
Her countenance was divinely expressive.
her person graceful in form and motion
beyond Imagination, her teeth were white
as pearls and her voice clear and strong.
She displayed the severity OF a tyrant
when severity was called for; and the
required it.
.'She was generous with prudence. but
a husbandress of wealth more than Is the
custom with women. Sometimes she
used a chariot, but more frequently rode
on horseback. She would march immense
distances on foot at the head Of her in
fantry, and would drink with her officers.
the Armenians and Persians. deeply, but
with sobrfety, using at her banquets
golden goblets, set with jewels. such as
Cleopatra was wont to use. In her serv-
ice she employed eunuchs advanced in
years. and very few damsels. She spoke
Egyptian perfectly. and was SO versed In
the history of Alexandria and the east
that she made an abridgment of oriental
history"
Husband a Distinguished Soldier.
Her husband, King Odenatus. was a
distinguished soldier, who drove the
Persians under King Sapor out of his
territory, and in turn invaded theirs,
where he won several victories. The
gossip OF the time was tina. Zenobia.
who accompanied him on his campaigns,
was the real strategist who mapped out
his battles. but this seems contradicted
by the fact that after his assassination
BY his nephew about 266 A. D. her mil
itary career was unfortunate and finally
went down in complete disaster. This
may perhaps have been due to the fact
that Odenatus never had the disciplined
and stubborn Roman legions to deal
with.
It is probable that the chief cause OF