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Aurelian followed them there and besieged the city.
Zenobia, who had been able to cross enemy lines tried to seek help from
the Persians, but was driven back to the right bank of the Euphrates and
taken to Aurelian's camp. A little later Palmyra capitulated (Mid-272)
and the queen was taken to Rome as a captive in golden chains and had to
grace the triumphal pageant of the emperor. According to the most
credible traditions, her life was spared and her last days were spent
peacefully in a villa at Tibur (Tivoli).
When Aurelian left Syria, he left behind in Palmyra a small garrison,
but no sooner had he reached Europe than a rebellion burst out and the
governor and soldiers were slaughtered. Aurelian returned quickly,
entered Palmyra without much resistance, looted the city and dismantled
its walls (273). The splendor and glory of the queen of the desert
became a thing of the past.
The site, much too important due to the existence of water, was not
abandoned. Diocletian erected a camp, which has been recently
discovered. Justinian in the 4th century surrounded it again with walls.
It was taken from the Byzantines by Khaled Ibn EI-Walid in 634, then
destroyed in 745 by Marwan II because of a rebellion against the last
Oriental Omayyad Caliph. From then on nothing interesting happened and
we do not even know who erected the fortress dominating the site then in
ruins. It was not until the end of the 17th century that the name of
Palmyra was mentioned again.
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