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.