Zenobia taken prisoner passing the river Euphrates. A.M. 4276.

This is one of a group of drawings by British artist and book illustrator Edward Francis Burney, depicting scenes from Greek and Roman history and mythology. Zenobia was queen of the Palmyrene Empire during a period of relentless civil war. This period in Roman history is referred to as 'The Crisis of the Third Century' and lasted from 235 - 284. Zenobia conquered a lot of territory, taking advantage of the fact that the Roman Empire was too distracted with its own problems to either take notice or to try and stop her. Eventually, Emperor Aurelian and his army marched on the Palmyrene Empire. Zenobia fled but Aurelian's army pursued her, and eventually captured her as she was trying to cross the Euphrates River.