Laodice of the Sameans facts for kids

Laodice was a Queen from an unknown kingdom in Asia. She lived around the time of the Seleucid king Antiochus X Eusebes of Syria, who ruled from about 95 BC to 92 or 88 BC.

A Queen's Request

We know about Laodice from the writings of Josephus, a historian from the first century. Around 92 BC, Queen Laodice sent a message to King Antiochus X Eusebes of Syria. She asked him for help against a group of people called the Parthians.

King Antiochus X agreed to help. He led his army to fight the Parthians, but sadly, he was killed in the battle.

Who Were Laodice's People?

It's a bit tricky to figure out exactly who Laodice's people were. The old copies of Josephus's writings have slightly different names for them.

However, many historians agree that her people were likely called the Samenians (sometimes spelled Sameans or Sameni). These Samenians were an Arabian nomadic tribe. This means they were Arabs who moved from place to place instead of settling in one spot. They probably lived in a region known as southern Arabia.