Zenobia leading her army

The Chapter Hall houses the tapestry series “Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra”, woven in Brussels by Geraert Peemans circa 1667. These eleven panels narrate the life of Queen Zenobia and her defeat before Emperor Aurelian.
Located in the Chapter Hall, to the right of the Christ above the episcopal chair, this tapestry depicts the moment when Zenobia and Odaenathus ride into battle on horseback, accompanied by soldiers. As in the rest of the series, the queen’s figure stands out for its proportion. The soldiers appear in the lower right, seen from behind, in a landscape that evokes the desert setting of Palmyra. They are followed by two standard-bearers who establish the perspective of the tapestry, while in the upper right corner a winged Victory hovers, holding a laurel crown.