Zenobia has been compared to Cleopatra and it was also claimed that they may have been related.
Excerpt from Zenobia
– Birth of a Legend, chapter eight:
Zelina and Zenobia joined
the caravan when it reached their camp. Zenobia was armed to the teeth. Two
bows hung from the saddle on her camel, plus three quivers, and she wore her
sword and dagger. She wanted to ride with the warrior escort, but her
mother vetoed the idea. If there was an attack, she resolved to join
the other warriors before her mother had time to object...
“Cleopatra must have been a great seductress because she had Caesar’s child.
Then, after he was killed, she became the lover of his powerful general, Mark
Anthony, so that makes two high level seductions. Still, she couldn't save
her family’s rulership.”
“She did for a while,”
Zelina replied, “Maybe two decades. She was so good at it that, according to
some accounts, when Octavian finally defeated Mark Anthony, Octavian’s generals
decided to make sure she didn't do it a third time!”
“What do you mean? The
history book said that she committed suicide by the bite of a poisonous viper.”
“Yes, that is the
official story. However, a shadow version says the generals killed her to
prevent her from seducing Octavian too! You must admit, that is a spicier
theory. Then they concocted the story of her suicide to keep the Egyptians from
revolting. Anyway, it was two and half centuries ago and impossible to prove
now. And even eyewitnesses have been known to lie.”
Zenobia was thoughtful
before adding, “I’m glad that I’m a proficient archer and have no need of
seduction.”
So we both hope, Zelina
said to herself.
There was another long pause
and Zenobia continued, “You told me once that we had Egyptian blood in us and
were descended from Cleopatra.”
… “Yes. We are in the line of a different
Cleopatra, who likely was in the family but through a cousin or other relative
rather than a direct descent. Does that make you feel better, since you did not
approve of her tactics?”
“Yes and no.” Zenobia
was again quiet for a bit. “Is it possible that Cleopatra had direct descendant
that survived and that some of her blood is in us through that survivor?”
Zelina considered. “I
suppose it might be possible, if unlikely.”
"But who could disprove
it anyway?” her daughter persisted.
"After all this time
it might be impossible to disprove," her mother admitted. "Why do you
ask?"
"Just
curious."
Zelina did not believe that for a minute. She
sighed inwardly as they rode on.
Indeed in history Zenobia claimed to be a descendant of Cleopatra
and even though it couldn't be proven it might have been used as a
great tool to rally her troops in calling Egypt her ancestral home.
“Classical and Arabic sources describe Zenobia as beautiful and
intelligent with a dark complexion, pearly white teeth, and bright black eyes.
She was said to be even more beautiful than Cleopatra, differing though in her
reputation for extreme chastity. Sources also describe Zenobia as carrying
herself like a man, riding, hunting and drinking on occasion with her officers.
Well educated and fluent in Greek, Aramaic, and Egyptian, with working
knowledge of Latin, tradition
accords her renown for hosting literary salons and surrounding herself with
philosophers and poets, the most famous of these being Cassius Longinus.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenobia
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