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The two principal sources on women at Palmyra are an abundant funerary sculpture and the emblematic figure of Queen Zenobia. Starting from these data, the present study focuses first on their place within the public sphere, which helps to better understand how women could move up in traditional societies. Moreover, funerary sculptures, which document more private activities, invite us to focus on more unusual representations, which shed new light on the role of women in the society of Palmyra.