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Mavia of Tanukh – The Warrior Queen who fought and defeated the Romans

Mavia (also known as Mawayia) was the Queen regnant of Tanukh. She was a warrior queen who fought and defeated both the Romans and the Goths. She proved to be a brilliant military general. Even though Queen Mavia of Tanukh was not a Christian, she helped spread orthodox Christianity throughout Arabia.[1] She also promoted women’s rights in a patriarchal society.[2]

Queen Mavia of Tanukh’s origins are unknown.[3] She was born sometime in the mid-fourth century.[4] She was a noblewoman from an Arabic semi-nomadic tribe between Syria and Hijaz (in the modern western regions of Saudi Arabia).[5] She married the king of Tanukh (a kingdom between Syria and Mesopotamia), whose name may have been al-Hawari.[6] Mavia became Queen of Tanukh. She had one daughter.[7] Her husband died in 375 C.E.[8] He had no sons and bequeathed his kingdom to his Queen.[9] Mavia became the Queen regnant of Tanukh.[10]

The Tanukh kingdom was very vulnerable to attacks because its ruler was a woman.[11] Queen Mavia had to quickly prove her military dominance to strengthen her kingdom.[12] She would prove to be a brilliant military strategist and general.[13] In a span of a few months, she conquered Arabia, Palestine, and Egypt’s Sinai region.[14] This made her wage a war against the Romans.[15] She continued to defeat a series of Roman legions.[16] She was successful because of her unity with other Arabic tribes, whereas the Roman military in the East was weak.[17] This allowed her kingdom to remain independent from Rome.[18] The reason why she waged war against the Romans was because Queen Mavia wanted her people to leave paganism and become Christians.[19] She wanted to build ties with the Romans, who were Christians and help convert her own people.[20] Thus, she believed that she could foster an alliance with the Roman Empire while still remaining independent.[21]

During her war against the Romans, Queen Mavia chose an ascetic monk named Moses as her bishop.[22] This made Moses the first bishop of an Arabic Orthodox Church and helped the unification of Arabia through religion.[23] Throughout the fifth and sixth centuries, Christianity was spread throughout the Arabic tribes that helped promote monotheism before Prophet Muhammad founded Islam.[24] Queen Mavia also allowed the noblewomen in her empire to divorce their husbands.[25] Queen Mavia also married her daughter, Princess Chasidat, to a Roman military officer named Victor.[26] This made Princess Chasidat a Roman citizen.[27] She hoped that this would maintain peace between Rome and Tanukh.[28] However, the peace was only temporary.[29]

Queen Mavia and Emperor Valens finally agreed to a truce. She became Rome’s ally.[30] Queen Mavia helped the Romans in their war against the Goths.[31] On 9 August 378 C.E., the Goths defeated the Romans and Queen Mavia’s army at the Battle of Adrianople.[32] Later that same year, the Goths marched to Constantinople, where they were met by Queen Mavia’s army.[33] Queen Mavia and her army became victorious. They drove the Goths out of Constantinople.[34] However, Queen Mavia did lose her daughter, Princess Chasidat, during the siege.[35] Nevertheless, this victory led Constantinople to become the centre of both Roman and Christian orthodoxy for a millennium.[36]

Queen Mavia’s fate is unknown after she defeated the Goths in Constantinople.[37] In 383 C.E., the alliance between Rome and Tanukh fell apart.[38] The Tanukhids rebelled against the Romans. However, it is unknown if Queen Mavia participated in the revolt.[39] Some historians believe that she had already passed away.[40] However, an inscription stated that she reigned until she died in Khanasir (a town south-east of Aleppo) in 425 C.E.[41] If this inscription is correct, then it means that her reign was over fifty years.[42]

While Queen Mavia of Tanukh is not as famous as Queen Cleopatra, Queen Boudica, and Queen Zenobia, who fought against Rome, she proved to be the most successful.[43] She was a courageous woman and military genius who proved herself on the battlefield. Queen Mavia turned her small kingdom into a massive empire. Her military victories showed how she remained uncontested in power until her death.[44] She won the respect of her people. Queen Mavia of Tanukh was a warrior queen whom the Romans feared, esteemed, and admired.

Sources:

Datta, S. R. (2021). Goddesses of Fury: History’s Most Daring Queens. The Little Booktique Hub.

El-Badawi, E. (2023, January 1). “Mavia of Tanukh Warrior queen of Arabia”. BBC History Magazine, 62.

El-Badawi, E. I. (2022). Queens and Prophets: How Arabian Noblewomen and Holy Men Shaped Paganism, Christianity and Islam. United Kingdom: Oneworld Publications.

[1] El-Badawi, 2023

[2] El-Badawi, 2023

[3] El-Badawi, 2023

[4] El-Badawi, 2023

[5] El-Badawi, 2023

[6] El-Badawi, 2022; El-Badawi, 2023

[7] Datta, 2021

[8] El-Badawi, 2023

[9] El-Badawi, 2023

[10] El-Badawi, 2023

[11] El-Badawi, 2023

[12] El-Badawi, 2023