C n J 
Parthians^ it is probable, firft, and afterwards tlie Ro- 
manif who for a long time contended for the Maftery 
here in the Eaft. And this Government might continue 
among them till about the time of Aurelian, who de« 
molifhed the place, and led Zenohia, Wife of Odenatm^ 
Captive to Rome : Who, though flie be called Quten , 
yet I find not that ever her Husband had the Title of 
King ; but was only one of the Chief Inhabitants, a 
Leading Man in the Senate (as 'tis probable this Aliia- 
manes zndAiranes were before him) who while ihtRo- 
mans were bufied in Europe^ made himfelf great here, 
and by his own Force repelled the Parthians ; who ha- 
ving Mafter'd whatever was held by the Romans on the 
other fide of Euphrates, made an Incurfion into ^S^m, 
but were by Odenatus driven back beyond the River. 
In the courfe of theft Wars Odenatus was (lain, bnt his 
Vfik Zenohia^ being a Woman of a Mafculine Spirit, 
not only kept her Ground againft her Enemies abroad, 
but maintained her Authority at home, keeping the 
Government in her Hands. Afterwards out of a defire 
to caft off the Roman Yoke, fee caufed the whole Garri- 
fon, which was left there by Aurelian, to be barbaroufly 
cue off: Which bringing Aurelian back with his Army, 
he quickly took the City, and deftroyed ir, putting the 
Inhabitants to the Sword, and carrying Captive 
to Rome ; which was the Fatal Period of the Glory of 
the place. This Cuftom of theirs of running up their 
Genealogies or Pedigrees to the fourth or fifth Gene- 
ration, ihews them to have borrowed fome of their 
Faihions from their Neighbours the Jewsy with whom ir 
is not unlikely they had of old great Commerce ; and 
perhaps many of them were defcended from thatPeo» 
pie, Zenohia her felf being faid to have been a JeweJS: 
Or elfe this muft have been the manner of aii the Ea- 
ftern Nations. Their y€rj or Account of Time they 
begin from the Death of Alexander xIk Great, as the 
<^ z Syrians 
