  We report the results from a {\it Chandra} observation of the powerful nearby
(z=0.1744) radio galaxy 3C 219. We find evidence for non--thermal X-ray
emission from the radio lobes which fits fairly well with a combination of IC
scattering of CMB and of nuclear photons. The comparison between radio
synchrotron and IC fluxes yields a magnetic field strength significantly lower
($\sim 3$) than that calculated under minimum energy conditions; the majority
of the energetics is then associated to the relativistic particles.
