ZENOBIA AND LONGINUS. . 355

sequent battle, near Hmesa, met with a second dis-
astrous repulse.

Zenobia found it impossible to collect a third army.
Most of the nations under her control had submitted
to the conqueror. Egypt was invaded by a Roman
army. Out of her lately great empire only her
capital, Palmyra, remained. Here she retired, made
preparations for a vigorous defence, and declared
that her reign and life should only end together.

Palmyra was then one of the most splendid cities
of the world. A halting-place for the caravans
which conveyed to Europe the rich products of
India and the Hast, it had grown into a great and
opulent city, whose former magnificence is shown by
the ruins of temples, palaces, and porticos of Grecian
architecture, which now extend over a district of
several miles. In this city, surrounded with strong
walls, Zenobia had gathered the various military en-
gines which in those days were used in siege and
defence, and, woman though she was, was prepared
to make the most vigorous resistance to the armies
of Rome.

Aurelian had before him no light task. In his
march over the desert the Arabs harassed him per-
petually. The siege proved difficult, and the em-
peror, leading the attacks in person, was himself
wounded with a dart. Aurelian, finding that he had
undertaken no trifling task, prudently offered ex-
cellent terms to the besieged, but they were rejected
with insulting language. Zenobia hoped that famine
would come to her aid to defeat her foe, and had
reason to expect that Persia would send an army to