“Itshawekazi Elinwele Zimnyama Tsiki Lentlango YaseSiriya”

SOMIKAZI lakwabani, elimazinyo athe qhashi okwekeleko, andisathethi ke ngamehlo kuba ayemnyama yaye etshawuza. Waye esisifundiswa ke umntwan’ omntu, iilwimi zona engazithethi ezikhupha ngeempumlo. Bath’ abalaziyo eli gorha lenkosazana lalimbetha limchithise uCleopatra ngobukhali bengqondo kodwa ke ngokucikizwa babengumceph’ ucandiwe. Ngenxa yesibindi eyaba naso sokutshikilela igunya lehlabathi lelo xesha, yathi chints’ uchatha kwinzaliseko yeziprofeto zeZibhalo. Kuthe nakuba bekulithuba yalalayo koobawomkhulu, ayaphela emilonyeni yababhali, kwakuthi ke naxa izotyiwe kunge akakho omny’ umntu omhle njengayo emhlabeni. Mbongi ithile yenkulungwane ye-19 yathi xa yayityatyadula iyityibela “litshawekazi elinwele zimnyama tsiki lentlango yaseSiriya.” Eli bhinqa liyintandane lalinguZenobia​—⁠inkosazana yesixeko saseSiriya esiyiPalmyra.

Sel’ edumile nje uZenobia lo yaqala phi yonke le nto? Sel’ elawula nje, yimeko eluhlobo luni yezobupolitika eyamthabatha yaya kumbeka kuloo ndawo? Singathi wayengumntu onjani? Chintsi wuphi le nkosazana ewuthe chatha kwinzaliseko yeziprofeto? Khawuqal’ uv’ amavandlakanya ngendawo eyenzeka kuyo yonke le nquleqhu.

Isixeko Esimi Kanye Kwincam Yentlango

Isixeko awayehlala kuso uZenobia, iPalmyra, sasimalunga neekhilomitha ezingama-210 ngakumntla-mpuma weDamasko, kumantla encam yeNtlango yaseSiriya apho iintaba zeLebhanon zifika zehle zibe yintili. Esi sixeko sibuhle buthi ndijonge sasimalunga naphakathi kwentshona yoLwandle lweMeditera nempuma yoMlambo umEfrati. UKumkani uSolomon umele ukuba xa eyibona wayebona iTademore, ndawo leyo eyayiyingenelo kubukumkani bakhe ngenxa yezinto ezimbini: yayihlala imikhosi eyayikhusele umda osemantla, ibe ngokungathi kunjalo, yayilikhonkco elibalulekileyo elidibanisa iidolophu ezithandwa ngabakhenkethi. Yiloo nto kanye ke, eyabangela uSolomon ‘akhe iTademore entlango.’​—⁠2 Kronike 8:⁠4.

Akuthethwa nto ngeTademore kwimbali yamawakawaka eminyaka emva kolawulo lukaKumkani uSolomon. Ukuba kuthe kanti yiyo le iyiPalmyra, ibe yindumasi emva kokuba iSiriya ibe liphondo elinoBukhosi baseRoma ngowama-64 B.C.E. Uth’ uRichard Stoneman kwincwadi yakhe ethi Palmyra and Its Empire​—⁠Zenobia’s Revolt Against Rome: “AmaRoma ayeyithandela izinto ezimbini iPalmyra le, uqoqosho nezomkhosi.” Njengoko esi sixeko sinamasundu sasikweyona ndlela yayisetyenziswa ngabarhwebi, le idibanisa iRoma neMesopotamiya kunye neMpuma, babudlula apho ubuncwane bezorhwebo kwelo xesha lasendulo​—⁠izinongo ezisuka kwiEast Indies, isilika esuka eTshayina, nezinye ke izinto ezazisuka koomaPersi, kwiMesopotamiya eseMazantsi nakwamanye amazwe akwiMeditera. IRoma le ke yayixhomekeke ekuthunyelweni kwezi zinto.

Xa silijonga kwicala lezomkhosi, eli phondo laseSiriya lalisahlula ubukhosi baseRoma nobasePersi obabuyinyoka nesele. Umlambo umEfrati wawusahlula iRoma kulo mmelwane wayo ungasempuma ebudeni beminyaka yokuqala engama-250 yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo. IPalmyra le yayingaphaya kwentlango, ekwintshona yesixeko iDura-Europos engakumEfrati. Beqonda ukubaluleka kwendawo emi kuyo, abalawuli baseRoma abanjengoHadrian noValerian bayityelela iPalmyra le. UHadrian wathi chatha kuburhocorhoco bayo bezinto zokwakha ibe wanikela ngezinto ezininzi. UValerian yena wathi ngqi ngewonga enye ingcungcu emlomo mde yasePalmyra, uOdaenathus​—⁠ongumyeni kaZenobia lo​—⁠ngokumbek’ emaqhuzwini ngowama-258 C.E., kwisikhundla sokuba ngummeli weRoma ngenxa nje yokuba walwa nePersi waphumelela waza wawutwabulula umda woBukhosi baseRoma waya kutsho eMesopotamiya. Sel’ id’ izokulawula nje le ndoda, yayinguZenobia owayesemva kwayo yonke loo nto. Mbalarha ithile yombhali-mbali ekuthiwa nguEdward Gibbon yathi xa yayibhala: “Inkcubeko nenkalipho yakhe [uZenobia] engummangaliso yeyona nto yathabatha uOdenathus lo yaya kumbek’ ezinkwenkwezini.”

Kwangelo xesha ke, uKumkani uSapor wasePersi wathi makakhe abuv’ esweni ubukhosi baseRoma aze aphathe onke amaphondo awayesakuba ngaphantsi kwePersi. Wathabatha umkhosi omkhulu, nanko ke esiya ngasentshona, ufike apho wathimba iidolophu ezazinemikhosi yamaRoma eziyiNisibis neCarrhae (iHaran) waza wayibetha wayidlakaza iSiriya esemantla neCilicia. Umlawuli uValerian weza ngokwakhe ekhokela imikhosi yakhe ukuze aqubisane naba bahlaseli kodwa ambeth’ amchola phantsi amaPersi aza amthimba esakugqiba.

UOdaenathus wacinga ukuba lithuba lakhe lokuba athumele izipho ezinamagama nezigidimi zoxolelwaniso kulo kumkani wasePersi. Etshiswa likratshi uKumkani uSapor wathi ezo zipho maziye kujulwa kumEfrati waza wayalela ukuba uOdaenathus avele phambi kwakhe ukuze azithobe acele ukukhululwa. Ngelokuphindisa, abantu basePalmyra babumba umkhosi ngokudibanisa abantu ababentangaza entlango nenketshenketshana eyayisele kumkhosi wamaRoma baza bawabetha bawasukela amaPersi awayesele exhom’ izandla. Ngenxa yamacebo awayesetyenziswa ngabo baphumi-mkhosi basentlango okubetha bedudula, imikhosi kaSapor​—⁠eyayidinwe iyimfe yimfazwe neyayiyimipha echutywe yalahlwa​—⁠yaphelelwa ziinyani ibe ekuphela kwento eyayimele iyenze kukubaleka qha.

Zithe zisakuvakala ezokuba uOdaenathus umbethe wamchithisa uSapor, uGallienus, ongunyana kaValerian, nowayengene ezihlangwini zakhe wamthwes’ intshinga ngokumbiza ngokuba yicorrector totius Orientis (ingqanga kulo lonke elaseMpuma). Ethubeni, uOdaenathus wazipha isibizo sokuba “ngukumkani wookumkani.”

UZenobia Utsha Ziintambo Ufuna Ukumis’ Obakh’ UBukhosi

Ngowama-267 C.E., noko sele ethand’ ukuzinza kwisikhundla sakhe, uOdaenathus nonyana wakhe oyindlalifa bagwintwa, phofu kurhanelwa ukuba bagwintwa ngumtshana wakhe owayenenqala. UZenobia wazithabathela kuye iintambo zolawulo lomyeni wakhe, njengoko unyana wakhe wayesemncinane kakhulu. Kuba wayelucwambu nenzwakazi emanz’ andonga, enelunda, ekwazi ukulawula, eqhelene nokuncedisa indoda yakhe engasekhoyo xa kusiliwa ibe iilwimi ezininzi ezicula nokuba sel’ ecimele, waphumelela ekwenzeni abalawulwa bakhe bamxhase baze bamhlonele​—⁠akuyondlwana kanomyayi ke ukwenzisa amaBedouin loo nto. UZenobia lo wayeyithanda imfundo ibe wazithi khuu izifundiswa. Omnye wabacebisi wakhe wayesisithandi sobulumko nentshicibela yeciko uCassius Longinus​—⁠ekuthiwa xa kuthethwa ngaye “wayelithala leencwadi eliphilayo nemyuziyam ehamba ngamanqina.” UMbhali uStoneman usixelela ukuba: “Kwisithuba seminyaka emihlanu emva kokuba uOdenathus eyikhabil’ ibhekile . . . uZenobia wayesel’ esaziwa ngabantu njengenkosazana yaseMpuma.”

Eliny’ ilizwe elaliphantsi kolawulo lukaZenobia yayiyiPersia, ababeyibethe bayiqhawul’ imilenze benomyeni wakhe ibe kwangaxeshanye ezam’ ukumisa ngeenyawo iRoma. Umbhali-mbali uJ. M. Roberts uthi xa echuba imeko yoBukhosi baseRoma ngelo xesha: “Ngenkulungwane yesithathu . . . izinto zazibubusaphusaphu eRoma, kumda osempuma nosentshona kuyintw’ enye nje, ngoxa embindini kanye kwakuthe rhuthu intw’ entsha yemfazwe yamakhaya ibe kwakukho nomny’ umkhwa wokubhukuqana kwabalawuli. Abalawuli abangama-22 (andithethi ngabo babezenza abalawuli) babengena baphinde baphume.” Kweliny’ icala, ubukumkani benkosazana yaseSiriya, babunoqilima lweengcambu. Uthi kaloku uStoneman: “Njengoko wayebubambe abashukuma obu bukumkani buntlu-mbini [iRoma nePersi], wayesitsha ziintambo efuna ukumisa obesithathu obabuza kulawula ezi ndidi zimbini.”

Lathi gqi ke ithuba lokuba uZenobia andise ubukumkani bakhe obuluqilima ngowama-269 C.E., xa omnye owayezenza umlawuli wathi thu eYiputa ehlasela ulawulo lwamaRoma. Umkhosi kaZenobia wenyuk’ uqhuqha ukuya kutsho eYiputa, wambetha wamgqumelela loo bholel’ ecaleni waza wahlutha elo zwe. Ethwel’ intshinga ngelokuba yena uyinkosazana yaseYiputa, wabhala igama lakhe kwiingqekembe zemali. Wathabatha ubukumkani bakhe wabutweza baqala kumlambo umNayile baya kuthi xhaxhe ngomlambo umEfrati. Njengoko wayekweli bakala ebomini bakhe, wayesele ekwisikhundla ‘sikakumkani wasemzantsi’ ekuthethwa ngaye kwisiprofeto seBhayibhile sikaDaniyeli, ekubeni ubukumkani bakhe babulawula ummandla osemazantsi kwindawo awayehlala kuyo uDaniyeli. (Daniyeli 11:​25, 26, NW) Waphinda woyisa inxalenye enkulu yeAsia Minor.

UZenobia walitsho langumankankela waza walibetha layokozela ngobuhle ikomkhulu lakhe, iPalmyra, kangangokuba lalikumgangatho omnye nezixeko ezikhulu zaseRoma. Kuqikelelwa ukuba lalinabemi ababefika kwi-150 000. Izakhiwo zikawonke wonke, iitempile, imiyezo, iintsika, neendawo zezikhumbuzo ezimbejembeje zazikho kuso sonke eso sixeko, ziphakathi kweendonga ekuthiwa zaziziikhilomitha ezingama-21 xa zizonke. Udederhu lweentsika zohlobo lwaseKorinte ezinomphakamo ongaphezu kweemitha ezili-15​—⁠ezili-1 500 xa zizonke​—⁠zazikroze apho ngakomkhulu. Imifanekiso eqingqiweyo nemifanekiso yeentloko zezikhwakhwa nezikhwivivi ezaziwayo yayithe qole kweso sixeko. Ngowama-271 C.E., uZenobia wamisa imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yakhe nowakwakhe ongasekhoyo. Kanye kwincam yentlango, iPalmyra yayigqengezela okwelity’ elinqabileyo.

ITempile yeLanga yayisesinye sezona zakhiwo zihle ePalmyra ibe akunakuyibuza into yokuba olo yayilunqulo olwalukhonya kweso sixeko. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba, uZenobia lo wayenqula isithixo esinento yokwenza nothixo welanga. Noko ke, zazininzi okweenkowane iinkonzo kwiSiriya yenkulungwane yesithathu. Kusalawula uZenobia kwakukho abo babesithi bangamaKristu, amaYuda, abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi, nabo babenqula inyanga nelanga. Wayezijonga njani ke ezi ndlela zahlukeneyo zonqulo ngexesha lakhe? Umbhali uStoneman uthi: “Umlawuli okrelekrele akaze awagatye amasiko athandwa ngabantu bakhe. . . . Kwakucingelwa ukuba . . . oothixo bahlala apho ePalmyra.” Kuyacaca ukuba, uZenobia lo wayelunyamezela unqulo. Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene oothixo “babehlala apho ePalmyra”? Yayibonakala inaliphi ikamva iPalmyra “nomlawuli wayo okrelekrele”?

Kumkani Uthile ‘Uvuselela Intliziyo Yakhe’ Nxamnye NoZenobia

Ngonyaka wama-270 C.E., uAurelian waba ngumlawuli waseRoma. Imikhosi yakhe emikhulu yaphumelela ekugxotheni ize itywatyushe amavezandlebe asemantla. Ngowama-271 C.E.​—⁠ngoku sel’ emela ‘ukumkani wasemntla’ wesiprofeto sikaDaniyeli​—⁠uAurelian lo ‘wavuselela amandla akhe nentliziyo yakhe nxamnye nokumkani wasemzantsi,’ omelwa nguZenobia. (Daniyeli 11:​25a, NW) UAurelian wathumela eminye imikhosi yakhe ngqo eYiputa waza wakhokela owona mkhosi wakhe uphambili ewusa ngasempuma ukuya ngaseAsia Minor.

Ukumkani wasemzantsi​—⁠phantsi kolawulo oluzimeleyo lukaZenobia​—⁠‘wavuseleleka’ ukuba enze imfazwe nxamnye noAurelian “ngomkhosi omkhulu nonamandla ngokugqithiseleyo” ngaphantsi kweenjengele ezimbini, uZabdas noZabbai. (Daniyeli 11:​25b, NW) Kodwa uAurelian wayithabathela kuye iYiputa waza ke walungiselela ukuba kuthatyathwe uhambo olusinga eAsia Minor naseSiriya. Woyiswa ke uZenobia e-Emesa (ngoku eyiHoms) nanko ke ebalekela ePalmyra.

Uthe esakuva ukuba uAurelian urhangqa iPalmyra, uZenobia wabalekela ePersi nonyana wakhe esiya kufuna uncedo, kodwa babanjwa ngamaRoma kanye kuMlambo umEfrati. Abantu basePalmyra banikezela ngesixeko sabo ngowama-272 C.E. UAurelian noko wabaphatha kakuhle abemi balapho, waziwanqela izinto ezininzi gqitha, kuquka isithixo esasikwiTempile yeLanga waza wabuyela eRoma. Lo mlawuli waseRoma wamsindisa uZenobia emenza eyona nto yokutsal’ amehlo kumngcelele woloyiso owawunqumla eRoma ngowama-274 C.E. Ubomi bakhe bonke waba ligqalakazi laseRoma.

Isixeko Esisentlango Sibethwa Sibe Yingqushu

Emva kweenyanga ezithile uAurelian ethimbe iPalmyra, abantu basePalmyra bagwinta umkhosi waseRoma awayewushiye ngasemva. Zithe zakufika ezi ndaba ezindlebeni zikaAurelian, ngaphandle kokulibazisa wathumela amajoni akhe ukuba abafun’ apho bebekho, ibe ngoku ayengasahleki kuba abahlasela abemi balapho ngendlela engenalusini. Abo bada baphuncula koko kubulawa ngokumanyumnyezi bathunyelwa ebukhobokeni. Eso sixeko sasilibhongo neqhayiya labo saphangwa saza sadlakazeliswa sishiywa siyingqushu. Kungaloo ndlela ke, elathi ikomkhulu elalisakuxakeka lathotywa kumgangatho elalikuwo​—⁠ laba ‘yiTademore esentlango.’

Mini uZenobia walwa neRoma, kumhla yena noMlawuli uAurelian bengaqondi basebenza njengokumkani ‘wasemntla’ ‘nowasemzantsi,’ bezalisekisa inxalenye yesiprofeto esicaciswe kakuhle ngumprofeti kaYehova kwiminyaka engama-800 ngaphambi koko. (Daniyeli, isahluko 11) Ngenxa yobuntu bakhe obunomtsalane, uZenobia wazenza wathandwa ngabantu abaninzi. Noko ke, eyona nto iphawulekayo, yindima yakhe ekumeleni ulawulo lobupolitika olwaxelwa kwangaphambili kwisiprofeto sikaDaniyeli. Ulawulo lwakhe aluzange ludlulele ngaphaya kweminyaka emihlanu. IPalmyra, elikomkhulu lobukumkani bukaZenobia, xa kunamhlanje iyidolophana nje engekho ntweni. Nobo Bukhosi bunamandla baseRoma sele kukudala babhangayo baza bathatyathelw’ indawo bubukumkani bakutshanje. Liyintoni ke ikamva lezi zikumkani? Nesiphelo sazo ke sixhomekeke kwinzaliseko eqinisekileyo yesiprofeto seBhayibhile.​—⁠Daniyeli 2:⁠44.

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 29]

Ilifa LikaZenobia

Uthe esakubuyela eRoma emva kokuba oyise uZenobia, inkosazana yasePalmyra, uMlawuli uAurelian wakha itempile yelanga. Kuyo wabeka imifanekiso eqingqiweyo yothixo welanga awayeyifumene kwisixeko sale nkosazana. Xa lisenza amavandlakanya ngeziny’ izinto ezenzekayo, iphephancwadi iHistory Today lithi: “Kusenokwenzeka ukuba eyona nto ithe chatha kwezenziwa nguAurelian kukuthi ngoAD 274 amisele umbhiyozo waminyaka le wokujika kwelanga ebusika ngoDisemba 25. Xa obu bukhosi baba bobamaKristu, umhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu watshintshelwa kolu suku ukuze olu nqulo lutsha lwamkeleke kwabo babethanda imibhiyozo yakudala. Yinto engaqhelekanga le, kangangokuba kusenokwenzeka ukuba kungenxa yeNkosazana uZenobia . . . le nto [abantu] beyibhiyozela iKrismesi yethu.”

[Imaphu/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28,29]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

ULWANDLE LWEMEDITERA

ISIRIYA

Kwa-Antiyokwe

IEmesa (iHoms)

IPALMYRA

IDamasko

EMESOPOTAMIYA

UmEfrati

ICarrhae (iHaran)

INisibis

IDura-Europos

[Inkcazelo]

Map: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.

Colonnade: Michael Nicholson/Corbis

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Ingqekembe yemali yaseRoma enomfanekiso ka-Aurelian

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

Itempile yelanga ePalmyra

[Inkcazelo]

The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

INkosazana uZenobia ithetha namajoni ayo

[Inkcazelo]

Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Queen Zenobia Addressing Her Soldiers, Samuel H. Kress Collection, Photograph © Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington

[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

Detail of: Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, Queen Zenobia Addressing Her Soldiers, Samuel H. Kress Collection, Photograph © Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington