Coin depicting Zenobia as empress

Zenobia (c. 240 – c. 274) was the queen of the Palmyrene Empire. Her husband Odaenathus became king in 260 and elevated Palmyra's power in the Near East by defeating the Sassanians and stabilizing the Roman East. After his assassination, she became the regent of her son Vaballathus and held de facto power throughout his reign. In 270, Zenobia launched an invasion which brought most of the Roman East under her sway, culminating with the annexation of Egypt. In reaction to Roman emperor Aurelian's campaign in 272, Zenobia declared Palmyra's secession from Rome, naming her son emperor and assuming the title of empress. The Romans were victorious after heavy fighting; the queen was besieged in her capital and captured by Aurelian. He exiled her to Rome, where she spent the remainder of her life. Zenobia fostered a multicultural and intellectual environment in her court, which was open to scholars and philosophers. Her biography has inspired historians, artists and novelists. (Full article...)

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Quincy Market's central building

• ... that Boston's Quincy Market (building pictured), once described by the city's mayor as an "eyesore", later became more popular than Disney World?
• ... that after divorcing her husband, Winifred Lewellin James was required to report to a police station each time she went more than 5 miles (8 km) from her home?
• ... that a fuel-tax evasion scheme in Mexico involves importing fuels under unrelated customs categories?
• ... that Steve Potter fired his father?
• ... that an independent panel reviewing research conducted by the National Cold Fusion Institute found no evidence that cold fusion had occurred?
• ... that the Salem Methodist Church in Harlem operated a boxing club in its basement?
• ... that the current mayor of Nagoya once operated a computer shogi program that won a world championship? under discussion
• ... that two-thirds of the New York production staff for Melania requested to be omitted from the credits?
• ... that the novelist Rosa Praed believed that she and her medium were the reincarnations of an ancient Roman slave girl and slave mistress?

Jasprit Bumrah

• In cricket, the Men's T20 World Cup concludes with India defeating New Zealand in the final (player of the match Jasprit Bumrah pictured).
• Mojtaba Khamenei is elected Supreme Leader of Iran following the assassination of his father, Ali Khamenei.
• Flooding in Kenya leaves at least 43 people dead.
• The Winter Paralympics open in northern Italy.
• The Rastriya Swatantra Party and its prime ministerial candidate Balen Shah win a landslide victory in the Nepalese general election, called after the Gen Z protests.

March 15: Ides of March; Night of Power (Shia Islam, 2026); Laetare Sunday (Western Christianity, 2026)

Empress Theodora

• 856 – Byzantine emperor Michael III overthrew the regency of his mother Theodora (pictured) to assume power for himself.
• 1783 – George Washington delivered a speech to Continental Army officers in Newburgh, New York, asking them to support the supremacy of the Congress of the Confederation, defusing a potential coup.
• 1874 – France and Vietnam signed the Second Treaty of Saigon, further recognizing the full sovereignty of France over Cochinchina.
• 1921 – Talaat Pasha, the main perpetrator of the Armenian genocide, was assassinated by Soghomon Tehlirian.
• 1990 – Iraqi authorities hanged Iranian freelance reporter Farzad Bazoft on charges of spying for Israel.