Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1827) Vol 1.djvu/384

 XI. 360 THE DECLINE AND FALL CHAP, as a personal distinction; but his martial widow, dis- daining both the senate and Gallienus, obliged one of the Roman generals, who was sent against her, to re- treat into Europe, with the loss of his army and his reputation". Instead of the little passions which so frequently perplex a female reign, the steady admini- stration of Zenobia was guided by the most judicious maxims of policy. If it was expedient to pardon, she could calm her resentment: if it was necessary to punish, she could impose silence on the voice of pity. Her strict economy was accused of avarice ; yet on every proper occasion she appeared magnificent and liberal. The neighbouring states of Arabia, Armenia, and Persia, dreaded her enmity, and solicited her alli- ance. To the dominions of Odenathus, which ex- tended from the Euphrates to the frontiers of Bithynia, his widow added the inheritance of her ancestors, the populous and fertile kingdom of Egypt. The emperor Claudius acknowledged her merit, and was content that, while he pursued the Gothic war, she should assert the dignity of the empire in the east®. The conduct, however, of Zenobia, was attended with some ambiguity; nor is it unlikely that she had conceived the design of erecting an independent and hostile mon- archy. She blended with the popular manners of Roman princes the stately pomp of the courts of Asia, and exacted from her subjects the same adoration that was paid to the successors of Cyrus. She bestowed on her three sons? a Latin education, and often showed them to the troops adorned with the imperial purple. For herself she reserved the diadem, with the splendid but doubtful title of queen of the east. When Aurehan passed over into Asia, against an n Hist. August, p. 180, 181. " See in Hist. August, p. 198, Aurelian's testimony to her merit ; and for the conquest of Egypt, Zosimus, 1. i. p. 39, 40. P Timolaus, Herennianus, and Vaballathus. It is supposed that the two former were aheady dead before the war. On the last, Aurelian bestowed a small province of Armenia, with the title of king : several of his medals are still extant. See Tillem. torn. iii. p. 1190.