### q3 Zenobia filled a power vacuum > On hearing the news, Zenobia seized the regency on behalf of her own son, Waballath, who was still a child. At the same time, in Italy, a deadly series of coups and counter-coups played out until, eventually, a tough Illyrian cavalry general, Claudius, emerged victorious. > > Zenobia saw her chance. In 269, she sent her army into Egypt, seizing Alexandria. Nothing could have been more provocative, for the port was vital to Rome’s grain supply. Without Egyptian grain, Rome would starve. By March 270, Palmyra ruled all Egypt. During the course of that year, another Palmyran general extended Palmyran control through Syria and most of Anatolia, settling on Ankara as their border. Claudius meanwhile died of plague and another Illyrian cavalry general became emperor. That was Aurelian. - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fn2qgrew57ndwxsa09yyx8qq) - [[Zenobia, Visionary Queen of Ancient Palmyra by Judith Weingarten#q3 Zenobia filled a power vacuum|View in Vault]]