Nel Segno di Roma (Sign of the Gladiator) (1959)
Director: Guido Brignone
Starring: Anita Ekberg ( Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra), Georges Marchal (Marcus Valerius, Roman Consul), Folco Lulli (Zemanzius, Zenobia's Prime Minister), Chelo Alonso (Erica, Zemanzius' Favorite and Dancer), Gino Cervi (Aurelianus, Emperor of Rome), Jacques Sernas (Julianus, Roman Centurian), Lorella De Luca (Bathsheba, the Vestal), Alberto Farnese (Marcello), Paul Muller (Slave Master), Mimmo Palmara (Lator), Alfredo Varelli (Vithos), Sergio Sauro (Flavio).
Queen of Palmyra, Zenobia, revolts against Rome & is captured (under Emperor Aurelian - 270-275). And don't forget Anita Ekberg is in the movie.
Historical Background:
114 -- Palmyra became part of the Roman Empire.
193-235 -- the Severan Dynasty in Rome.
226-651 -- the Second Persian Empire, known as the Sassanid Empire. It was the last great Persian empire before the conquest of Islam.
235-268 --- in Rome it was the height of the period known as the Crisis of the Third Century.
260-274 -- the period of the Gallic Empire.
Zenobia was the daughter of Arab chieftain Zabaai ben Selim.
258 -- Zenobia's husband, Septimius Odenathus, became a Roman consul.
260 -- Roman emperor Valerian was held captive and then killed by Sapor I of Persia. Zenobia's husband took to the field and she was right there at his side on horseback.
Her husband was assassinated along with his future heir.
267-272 -- she reigned as Queen of Palmyra and as regent for her infant son Vaballathus.
She told everyone that she was supporting the Roman Empire by defending its Eastern portion against the Sassanid Empire. She was actually just playing off Rome on the west to Persia on the east for her own future. She made a series of conquests that eventually made her the ruler of much of Syria and Asia Minor.
268-284 -- Illyrian Emperors. (Several were from Illyria.)
269 -- Zenobia conquered Egypt. She proclaimed herself the Queen of Egypt and declared (which was probably true) that she was descended from Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
270-275 -- Aurelian was the emperor of Rome. His goal was to re-unite the Roman Empire, which accomplished.
272 -- Aurelian conquered Zenobia's kingdom. She and her son fled to Persia, but they were captured.
274 -- Aurelian brought Zenobia, bound in gold chains, to Rome to parade her in his triumph.
Aurelian, however, was taken by Zenobia's beauty and dignity. He freed her and gave her a villa in today's Tivoli, Italy. There she spent the rest of her life.
275 -- Emperor Aurelian was assassinated by the Praetorian Guard.
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