Mavia (queen) facts for kids

Mavia (also known as Mawiyya) was a powerful Arab warrior-queen. She led the Tanukhids, a group of semi-nomadic Arab tribes, in southern Syria during the late 300s CE.

Mavia led her army in a rebellion against the Roman rulers. Her forces rode into Phoenicia and Palestine. They even reached the borders of Egypt and defeated the Roman army many times. Eventually, the Romans had to make a peace deal with her. Mavia set the terms for this peace. Later, when the Romans were attacked by the Goths, they asked Mavia for help. She sent her cavalry to support them.

Many historians consider Mavia to be "the most powerful woman in late ancient Arabia after Zenobia". Most of what we know about Mavia comes from early writings. These include accounts by Rufinus. Later writers sometimes changed her story, making her seem Roman or Christian from the start. However, she was clearly Arab and might have been a pagan at first.

Mavia's Early Life and Rise to Power

Mavia's Arabic name was Mawiyya. Her ancestors were part of the Tanukhids. This was a group of Arab tribes that moved north from the Arabian peninsula. They moved about a hundred years before Mavia was born. This was because the Sassanian Empire was becoming more powerful in Eastern Arabia.

Mavia's husband was al-Hawari. He was the last king of the Tanukh confederation in southern Syria. When he died in 375 CE, he had no children to take his place. So, Mavia stepped up to lead the confederation. She then started a revolt against Roman rule. This revolt spread across the entire Levant region.

The main reason for the revolt was likely about religion. After al-Hawari died, the Roman emperor Valens refused to give the Arabs an Orthodox bishop. Valens was an Arian Christian, which was a different branch of Christianity. He insisted on appointing an Arian bishop instead. Mavia and her people left Aleppo and went into the desert. There, she made alliances with other Arab tribes. She gained support across much of Arabia and Syria. This prepared them for their fight against Roman rule.

It is not clear if Mavia herself was Christian at this time. Some historians say she met a holy monk during her military campaigns. He impressed her so much that she converted to Orthodox Christianity. All historians agree that a key condition for her peace with Rome was that this monk be made bishop for her people.

The Great Revolt Against Rome

In the spring of 378 CE, Mavia launched a huge revolt against the Roman government. Her actions are often compared to those of Zenobia a century earlier. Mavia often led her forces herself. They swept through Arabia and Palestine, reaching the edges of Egypt. They defeated the Roman armies many times.

Mavia and the Tanukhids used the desert as their base. This meant the Romans had no fixed target to attack. Mavia's highly mobile units used guerrilla warfare tactics. They carried out many raids and made it hard for the Romans to stop the revolt.

Mavia's forces also proved stronger than the Romans in open battles. They had fought alongside Roman forces for a hundred years. This meant they knew Roman tactics well. They easily defeated the first Roman army sent to crush the revolt. This army was led by the Roman governor of Palestine and Phoenicia. Mavia also gained support from townspeople in the region. It seemed like the entire Roman East might break away to be ruled by Mavia and her Arabs.

A second Roman force was sent to fight Mavia's army. This force was led by the Roman military commander of the East. Mavia personally led her forces into battle. She showed herself to be not only a good political leader but also a strong military strategist. Her forces used a mix of Roman and native fighting styles. They often used fast-moving lancers with great success. The Romans were defeated. Unlike their war against Zenobia, they had few local allies. One of their most important allies, the Tanukh, was now fighting them. Emperor Valens had no choice but to ask for peace.

What Church Historians Recorded

Church historians wrote about Mavia's achievements. They especially focused on the condition she set for peace with the Romans. This condition was very important for early Christian efforts to spread their faith in the Levant.

For example, Rufinus wrote that Mavia, "queen of the Saracens," started a fierce war. She attacked villages and towns on the border of Palestine and Arabia. She defeated the Roman army many times. When asked for peace, she agreed. But only if a monk named Moses was made bishop for her people.

Socrates of Constantinople also wrote about these events. He noted that Moses, "a Saracen by birth," lived a holy life in the desert. He was known for his strong faith and miracles. Socrates said Mavia wanted Moses to be bishop over her nation. She promised to end the war if this happened. Socrates also mentioned Mavia's strong commitment to the peace. She even married her daughter to Victor, the Roman army's commander-in-chief.

Sozomen gave even more details about Mavia, calling her Mania. He described her rule and the history of her people, whom he called "Saracens". He wrote that they were Ishmaelites, descendants of Hagar, Abraham's concubine. He also mentioned that they named their children after Sarah. This was so they would not be seen as children of Hagar, and therefore as slaves. Sozomen described the battle with "Mania, who commanded her own troops in person," as "difficult" and "dangerous." The Roman general of the entire cavalry and infantry of the East had to be saved from battle against her by the general of the troops of Palestine and Phoenicia.

After the Revolt: Peace and New Conflicts

Moses became the first Arab bishop for the Arabs. A new Arab church began to grow in the Roman East. Many Tanukh people from Mesopotamia joined it. Mavia also managed to get back the Tanukh's special status as Roman allies. They had lost these privileges before Julian's rule. To make the alliance stronger, Mavia's daughter, Princess Khasidat, married Victor. He was a Roman commander who was a devout Christian.

Mavia brought a fair peace to the Arabs. However, this peace did not last long. As part of the peace deal, Mavia sent her forces to Thrace. They were there to help the Romans fight the Goths. But Mavia's forces were less effective outside their home territory. The Goths pushed the Romans back to Constantinople. They even killed Valens, the emperor.

Mavia's forces returned home, weakened and with fewer soldiers. The new emperor, Theodosius I, favored the Goths. He gave them many important positions in the Roman government. This was at the expense of the Arabs. The Arabs felt betrayed after showing their loyalty to Rome. So, they started another revolt in 383 CE. This revolt was quickly put down. The alliance between the Tanukh and Rome ended for good. Rome then sought an alliance with another Arab tribe, the Salih.

It is not known if Mavia led this second revolt. There is no mention of its leader. We do know that she died in Anasartha, east of Aleppo. This was in the heart of the Tanukh tribal lands. An inscription records her death there in 425 CE.

Mavia and Zenobia: Two Powerful Queens

More recent studies compare Mavia to other Arab warrior queens who came before her. The most famous of these is Zenobia. For example, historian Irfan Shahid points out that both queens' armies reached the waterway that separates Asia from Europe. Mavia even crossed the Bosporus into Byzantium.

Shahid also notes that Zosimus, a historian who knew the writings of Sozomen and Socrates, did not mention Mavia. Shahid believes this was on purpose. It did not fit Zosimus's idea that the Christianization and "barbarization" linked to Constantine I's changes were harmful. Shahid writes that the difference between the two Arab queens' lives was clear. Zenobia belonged to the 200s, was pagan, and was disloyal to Rome. Mavia belonged to the 300s, was Christian, and was loyal. This difference would have shown the success of Constantine's changes.

See also

In Spanish: Mavia para niños