Zenobia of Armenia ( ka, ზენობია, hy, Զենոբիա; fl. 1st century) was a royal Iberian princess of the

Pharnavazid dynasty The Pharnavazid ( ka, ფარნავაზიანი, tr) is the name of the first dynasty of Georgian kings of Kartli (Iberia) preserved by ''The Georgian Chronicles''. Their rule lasted, with intermissions, from the 3rd century BC to the ...

who was a

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...

from 51 to 53 and 54 to 55 during the reign of her husband, King

Rhadamistus Rhadamistus ( ka, რადამისტი, radamist'i, hy, Հռադամիզդ, Hřadamizd) (died 58) was a royal prince of the Pharnavazid dynasty of the Kingdom of Iberia who reigned over the Kingdom of Armenia from 51 to 53 and 54 to 55. ...

Life

Zenobia was a daughter of King

Mithridates of Armenia Mithridates of Armenia ( ka, მითრიდატე; hy, Միհրդատ Իբերացի, fl. 1st century) was a Pharnavazid prince of the Kingdom of Iberia who served as a King of Armenia under the protection of the Roman Empire. Mithridat ...

by his wife, a daughter of King

Pharasmanes I of Iberia Pharasmanes I the Great ( ka, ფარსმან I დიდი) (died 58) was a king of Iberia. He plays a prominent role in the historian Tacitus’ account of policy and campaigns in the eastern lands of the Roman Empire under Tiberius, Cali ...

, who was Mithridates' own brother. At the same time, she was a wife of

who was Pharasmanes' son. Zenobia's father Mithridates reigned in Armenia until her husband and Mithridates' nephew and son-in-law

usurped the Armenian throne by the sudden invasion. Her husband destroyed her entire family. Rhadamistus killed both of Zenobia's parents, her mother being Rhadamistus' own sister. Zenobia's brothers were also killed by Rhadamistus just because they were crying over their parents' death. After execution of her entire family Rhadamistus became king in 51 and she became his queen. Armenians revolted soon after and, with the Parthian support of prince Tiridates I, forced both to flee back to Iberia. According to

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historiography, Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his t ...

: Zenobia is said to have given birth to an unknown son from Rhadamistus in Armenia. Her and her child's later life is unknown. Her husband returning home to Iberia was soon, in 58, put to death as traitor by his own father Pharasmanes. According to the historian Leo, Zenobia lived in Tiridates’ court until her death.

In art

Paintings

*"Zenobia accudita dai pastori sulle rive dell'Aras" by Bartolomeo Cittadella. *"Rhadamistus killing Zenobia" by Luigi Sabatelli (1803). *"Zenobia found on the banks of the Araxes" by

Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry (7 November 1828 17 January 1886) was a French painter. Life Baudry was born in 1828 in La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendée. He studied art under Michel Martin Drolling and enrolled in the École des Beaux-Arts in 1845. ...

. (won ''

Prix de Rome The Prix de Rome () or Grand Prix de Rome was a French scholarship for arts students, initially for painters and sculptors, that was established in 1663 during the reign of Louis XIV of France. Winners were awarded a bursary that allowed them t ...

'' in 1850). *"Zenobia found by Sheperds on the banks of the Araxes" by

William-Adolphe Bouguereau William-Adolphe Bouguereau (; 30 November 1825 – 19 August 1905) was a French academic painter. In his realistic genre paintings, he used mythological themes, making modern interpretations of classical subjects, with an emphasis on the female ...

. (won ''

'' in 1850).Wissman, Fronia E. (1996). Bouguereau. San Francisco: Pomegranate Artbooks. p. 12. . *"Queen Zenobia found on the Banks of the Arax" by

Nicolas Poussin Nicolas Poussin (, , ; June 1594 – 19 November 1665) was the leading painter of the classical French Baroque style, although he spent most of his working life in Rome. Most of his works were on religious and mythological subjects painted for a ...

. *"Rhadamistes and Zenobia" by

Jean-Joseph Taillasson Jean-Joseph Taillasson (; 6 July 1745 – 11 November 1809) was a French history painter and portraitist, draftsman, and art critic. Biography Taillasson was born at Blaye, near Bordeaux. His poem "Le Danger des règles dans les Arts" was noted ...

. *"Queen Zenobia taken from river Araxes by shepherds" by Francesco Nenci. *"Radamisto in atto di spingere Zenobia ferita nel fiume Arasse" by

Francesco Alberi 300px, Allegory of Napoleon as Liberator of Italy (c. 1800) Francesco Alberi (3 March 1765–24 January 1836) was an Italian Neoclassical style painter, active in Bologna, Padua, Rimini and Rome. He was born in Rimini, and initially appren ...

. *"Zénobie trouvée mourante sur les bords de l’Araxe" by

Merry-Joseph Blondel Merry-Joseph Blondel (; 25 July 1781 – 12 June 1853) was a French History painting, history painter of the Neoclassicism, Neoclassical school. He was a winner of the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1803. After the Salon (Paris), salon of 1824, he ...

. *"Zénobie découverte par les bergers sur les bords de l'Araxe" by

Charles Camille Chazal ''Jeunes filles au bords de la mer'' 1870Musée des Beaux-Arts de Carcassonne Charles Camille Chazal, a French painter, and son of Antoine Chazal, was born in Paris in 1825. He studied under Drolling and Picot, and entered the École des Beaux- ...

. *"Zénobie trouvée mourante par les bergers sur les bords de l'Araxe" by

Pierre Dupuis Pierre Dupuis or Pierre Dupuys (3 March 1610 in Montfort-l'Amaury – 18 February 1682 in Paris) was a French painter. He lived in Italy, where he met Pierre Mignard Pierre Mignard or Pierre Mignard I (17 November 1612 – 30 May 1695 ...

. *"Zenobia" by

Émile Lévy Émile Lévy (August 29, 1826 in Paris – 1890) was a French genre and portrait painter. Biography He was a pupil of François-Édouard Picot and Abel de Pujol. He also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He won the Grand Prix de ...

. *"Zenobia Discovered by Shepherds on the Banks of the Araxes" by

Félix-Henri Giacomotti Félix-Henri Giacomotti (19 November 1828 – 10 May 1909) was a French painter and muralist of Italian ancestry who specialized in historical and religious works. Biography He was born in Quingey. His parents were from Italy and he becam ...

. *"Queen Zenobia Thrown Into the Araxes River" by

François Chifflart François-Nicolas Chifflart (21 March 1825 – 19 March 1901) was a French painter, illustrator and etcher. Biography He was born in Saint-Omer. His father was a locksmith who was also known for his skill as a carver and worked for Louis Fiole ...

. *"Rhadamiste poignarde sa femme Zénobie" by Etienne Meslier. *"The finding of Zenobia by the shepherds" by

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres ( , ; 29 August 1780 – 14 January 1867) was a French Neoclassicism, Neoclassical Painting, painter. Ingres was profoundly influenced by past artistic traditions and aspired to become the guardian of academic ...

Statues

*"Le corps de Zénobie, reine d'Arménie retiré de l'Araxe" by Jean Esprit Marcellin at

Palace of Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence ...

Operas

*"L’Amour tyrannique" by

Georges de Scudéry Georges de Scudéry (22 August 1601 – 14 May 1667), the elder brother of Madeleine de Scudéry, was a French novelist, dramatist and poet. Life Georges de Scudéry was born in Le Havre, in Normandy, whither his father had moved from Provence. ...

*"Zenobia e Radamisto" by

Giovanni Legrenzi Giovanni Legrenzi (baptized August 12, 1626 – May 27, 1690) was an Italian composer of opera, vocal and instrumental music, and organist, of the Baroque era. He was one of the most prominent composers in Venice in the late 17th century, and ext ...

*"Rhadamiste et Zénobie" by

Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon Prosper Jolyot de Crébillon (13 January 1674 – 17 June 1762) was a French poet and tragedy, tragedian. Biography Crébillon was born in Dijon, where his father, Melchior Jolyot, was Civil law notary, notary-royal. Having been educated at the ...

*"La Zenobia" by

Matteo Noris NGOs are an effective source of change and could be much more effective than governmental plans alone. Non federal government institutions typically take initiatives for delivering social adjustment in our society. Our agency is actually one-stop re ...

*"Zenobia" by

Metastasio Pietro Antonio Domenico Trapassi (3 January 1698 – 12 April 1782), better known by his pseudonym of Pietro Metastasio (), was an Italian poet and librettist, considered the most important writer of ''opera seria'' libretti. Early life Me ...

*"L'amor tirannico, o Zenobia" by

Domenico Lalli Sebastiano Biancardi (27 March 1679 – 9 October 1741), known by the pseudonym Domenico Lalli, was an Italian poet and librettist. Amongst the many libretti he produced, largely for the opera houses of Venice, were those for Vivaldi's ''Ottone i ...

*"Zenobia" by

Giovanni Bononcini Giovanni Bononcini (or Buononcini) (18 July 1670 – 9 July 1747) (sometimes cited also as Giovanni Battista Bononcini) was an Italian Baroque composer, cellist, singer and teacher, one of a family of string players and composers. Biography E ...

*"Zenobia" by

Johann Adolph Hasse Johann Adolph Hasse (baptised 25 March 1699 – 16 December 1783) was an 18th-century German composer, singer and teacher of music. Immensely popular in his time, Hasse was best known for his prolific operatic output, though he also composed a co ...

*"Zenobia" by

Gaetano Latilla __NOTOC__ Gaetano Latilla (12 January 1711 – 15 January 1788) was an Italian opera composer, the most important of the period immediately preceding Niccolò Piccinni (his nephew). Latilla was born in Bari, and studied at the Loreto Conservato ...

*"La Zenobia" by

Davide Perez Davide Perez (1711 – 30 October 1778) was an Italian opera composer born in Naples of Italian parents, and later resident court composer at Lisbon from 1752. He staged three operas on librettos of Metastasio at Lisbon with huge success in 1753 ...

*"Zenobia" by

Niccolò Piccinni Niccolò Piccinni (; 16 January 1728 – 7 May 1800) was an Italian composer of symphonies, sacred music, chamber music, and opera. Although he is somewhat obscure today, Piccinni was one of the most popular composers of opera—particularly the ...

*"Zenobia" by

Gioacchino Cocchi Gioacchino Cocchi (''circa'' 1712 – 11 September 1796) was a Neapolitan composer, principally of opera. Cocchi was probably born in Naples in about 1712, although his place of birth has also been given as Padova. His first works were performed ...

*"Zenobia" by

Giovanni Battista Pescetti Giovanni Battista Pescetti (c. 170420 March 1766) was an organist, harpsichordist, and composer known primarily for his operas and keyboard sonatas. Musicologist and University of California, Santa Barbara professor John E. Gillespie wrote that Pes ...

*"Zenobia" by

Tommaso Traetta Tommaso Michele Francesco Saverio Traetta (30 March 1727 – 6 April 1779) was an Italian composer of the Neapolitan School. Along with other composers mainly in the Holy Roman Empire and France, he was responsible for certain operatic ref ...

*"La Zenobia" by

Nicola Sala Nicola Sala (7 April 1713 – 31 August 1801) was an Italian composer and music theorist. He was born in Tocco Caudio and died in Naples. He was chapel-master and professor at Naples, having devoted himself to the collection of the finest m ...

*"Zenobia" by Luca Antonio Predieri *"Zenobia" by

Francesco Uttini Francesco Antonio Baldassare Uttini (1723 Bologna – 25 October 1795) was an Italian composer and conductor who was active mostly in Sweden. He is best remembered today as a composer of operas in both the Italian and Swedish languages and f ...

*"Zenobia" by Antonio Tozzi *"Zenobia" by Francesco Bianchi *"Zenobia" by

Louis Coerne Louis Adolphe Coerne (February 27, 1870 – September 11, 1922) was an American composer and music educator. Life and works He was born in Newark, New Jersey, and was educated at Harvard University, where he studied under John Knowles Paine, a ...

*"La Zenobia" by

Joseph Friebert Johann Joseph Friebert (4 December 1724 – 6 August 1799), also known as Giuseppe Fribert, was an Austrian opera singer and composer. Amongst his compositions were four singspiels, six operas, and several pieces of church music. As a singer, he w ...

*"L'amor tirannico, ossia Zenobia" by

Francesco Feo Francesco Feo (1691 – 28 January 1761) was an Italian composer, known chiefly for his operas. He was born and died in Naples, where most of his operas were premièred. Life Feo studied music at the '' Conservatorio di Santa Maria della Pietà' ...

*"Zenobia" by

Ambrogio Minoja Ambrogio Minoja (22 October 1752 – 3 August 1825) was a classical composer from Italy, born in Ospedaletto Lodigiano, in the territory of Lodi, in the region of Lombardy. He was professor of composition and writer on vocal music, having wri ...

*"Zenobia" by

Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani Giovanni Buonaventura Viviani (15 July 1638 Florence –about 1693 Pistoia) was an Italian composer and violinist. He worked in the court at Innsbruck as a violinist at least between 1656 and 1660. Between 1672 and 1676 he was director of the c ...

*Zenobia was played by

Adrienne Lecouvreur Adrienne Lecouvreur (5 April 1692 – 20 March 1730), born Adrienne Couvreur, was a French actress, considered by many as the greatest of her time. Born in Damery, she first appeared professionally on the stage in Lille. After her Paris debut ...

Caterina Gabrielli Caterina Gabrielli (12 November 1730 – 16 February or 16 April 1796), born Caterina Fatta, was an Italian coloratura singer. She was the most important soprano of her age. A woman of great personal charm and dynamism, Charles Burney referred ...

and

Anastasia Robinson Anastasia Robinson ( – April 1755), later known as Anastasia, Countess of Peterborough, was an English soprano, later contralto, of the Baroque era. She is best remembered for her association with the composer George Frideric Handel, in who ...

Plays

*Unfinished play "Rodamist i Zenobiya" by

Alexander Griboyedov Alexander Sergeyevich Griboyedov (russian: Александр Сергеевич Грибоедов, ''Aleksandr Sergeevich Griboedov'' or ''Sergeevich Griboyedov''; 15 January 179511 February 1829), formerly romanized as Alexander Sergueevich Gri ...

Gallery

File:Sabatelli - Rhadamistus killing Zenobia 1803.jpg, ''Rhadamistus killing Zenobia'', by Luigi Sabatelli File:Zenobie retrouvee par les bergers sur les bords.jpg, ''Zenobia found on the banks of the Araxes'', by

File:Rhadamistes and Zenobia by TAILLASSON, Jean-Joseph 1806.jpg, ''Rhadamistes and Zenobia'' by

. File:Bouguereau-Zenobia-1850.jpg, ''Zenobia found by Sheperds on the banks of the Araxes'', by

File:Nicolas Poussin- Queen Zenobia Found on the Banks of the Arax.JPG, ''Queen Zenobia found on the Banks of the Arax'', by

File:CrebillonRhadamisteZenobie.jpg, Zenobia from the opera of

File:Metastasio - Zenobia - Herissant Vol.06 - Paris 1780.png, Zenobia from the opera of

File:Queen Zenobia taken from river Araxes by shepherds, by Francesco Nenci, 1809.jpg, ''Queen Zenobia taken from river Araxes by shepherds'', by Francesco Nenci. File:Radamisto in atto di spingere Zenobia ferita nel fiume Arasse, Francesco Alberi, 1812.jpg, ''Radamisto in atto di spingere Zenobia ferita nel fiume Arasse'', by

. File:Emile Levy Zénobie.JPG, ''Zenobia'' by

. File:Queen Zenobia Thrown Into the Araxes River by François-Nicolas Chifflart.jpg, ''Queen Zenobia Thrown Into the Araxes River'' by François Chifflart.

References

Sources

, ''

Annals Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...

'', Book XII-XIII * *

Toumanoff, Cyril Cyril Leo Toumanoff (russian: Кирилл Львович Туманов; 13 October 1913 – 4 February 1997) was a Russian-born Georgian historian and genealogist who mostly specialized in the history and genealogies of medieval Georgia, Armenia, ...

(1969), Chronology of the early Kings of Iberia, Vol. 25 * Javakhishvili, Ivane (2012), History of the Georgian Nation, Vol. 1 {{authority control Armenian queens consort Ancient queens consort 1st-century deaths Pharnavazid dynasty