Zenobia (c. 240 – c. 274) was the queen of the Palmyrene Empire. Her husband Odaenathus became king in 260 and elevated Palmyra's power in the Near East by defeating the Sassanians and stabilizing the Roman East. After his assassination, she became the regent of her son Vaballathus and held de facto power throughout his reign. In 270, Zenobia launched an invasion which brought most of the Roman East under her sway, culminating with the annexation of Egypt. In reaction to Roman emperor Aurelian's campaign in 272, Zenobia declared Palmyra's secession from Rome, naming her son emperor and assuming the title of empress. The Romans were victorious after heavy fighting; the queen was besieged in her capital and captured by Aurelian. He exiled her to Rome, where she spent the remainder of her life. Zenobia fostered a multicultural and intellectual environment in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers. Her biography has inspired historians, artists and novelists. ( Full article... )
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| | Lauren Bacall (1924–2014) was an American actress. One of the last surviving major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, she was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute, and received an Academy Honorary Award in 2009 in recognition of her contribution to the Golden Age of motion pictures. Bacall made her acting debut on Broadway in 1942 at the age of 17, and her final role was as a guest voice appearance in 2014. During her long career, she won seven major awards: one Oscar, one Critics' Choice Award, two Golden Globes, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and two Tony Awards. This photograph, taken by Bernard Gotfryd circa 1979, shows Bacall with the manuscript of her first autobiography, Lauren Bacall by Myself, at the offices of the publishing house Alfred A. Knopf. Photograph credit: Bernard Gotfryd Recently featured: |