Zenobia, usurper, 268-272. Antoninianus (Silvered bronze, 20 mm, 4.37 g, 12 h), Antiochia, March-May 272. S ZENOBIA AVG Diademed and draped bust of Zenobia set to right on crescent. Rev. IVNO REGINA Juno standing front, head to left, holding patera in her right hand and long scepter in her left; at her feet to left, peacock standing left, head turned back to right; in upper left field, star. Bland 29 (Obv. die 45/Rev. die Jun i). Cohen -. MIR 360b/0. RIC 2 corr. RIC V online 3122. Very rare. A beautiful piece with an unusually well struck and attractive portrait of the famous queen. Somewhat rough and with light deposits and minor traces of cleaning, otherwise, about extremely fine.



Queen Zenobia of Palmyra is certainly one of the most renowned queens of antiquity. As the wife of the powerful Palmyran King Odaenathus, who through his successful wars against the Sasanids also became the Roman corrector totius Orientis, she assumed regency for their son Vaballathus following her husband’s assassination in 267. Initially loyal to Rome, the persistent weakness of the central empire led Zenobia, in 270, to conquer Egypt. After Aurelian’s accession, the mints in Antioch and Alexandria continued issuing coins with the emperor’s portrait, but they also began featuring the image of Vaballathus on the reverses. While Vaballathus thus asserted a more prominent position than Odaenathus had, the ongoing issuance of coins for Aurelian and Vaballathus’ choice not to assume the title of Augustus indicate a continued nominal recognition of imperial authority.

This changed with Aurelian’s campaign against the Palmyrans in the spring of 272. Faced with the Roman assault, Zenobia and Vaballathus declared themselves Augusti and started issuing coins with their own portraits, omitting that of Aurelian. Of these, those featuring Zenobia are especially rare, with few surviving in such excellent condition as the present piece. However, the declaration of Augusti had little effect, and the Palmyrans were defeated by Aurelian in two battles. Zenobia attempted to flee to the Sasanids but was captured by Roman cavalry on the Euphrates.

Sources are divided on her further fate: while Zosimos reports that she died during transport to Rome, possibly due to illness or starvation, both Zosimos and the Historia Augusta mention that she spent the rest of her life in Italian exile. Whichever is true, her descendants are still epigraphically documented in Rome as part of the Roman aristocracy in the 4th century. Palmyra itself fared less well; after a subsequent revolt led by a certain Septimius Antiochus in 273, Aurelian again traversed the desert and destroyed the city. The rebel, whose name likely reflects the same Seleukid heritage claimed by Zenobia, was spared and later died in Roman exile.