Coniuge Drigiagonis Gallo greci · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Coniuge Drigiagonis Gallo greci
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Asia Minor
Description: This engraving depicts the queen of the Galatians standing on the right side of the image holding a decapitated head. This woman’s name is unknown; however, she is the wife of King Drigiagon. After being taken as a captive by Roman enemies, the Galatian queen was defiled by a Roman centurion. This is depicted on the left side of the engraving as the queen is bound by a chain on her right hand while the centurion is putting his hand up her dress. She is illustrated looking away and fighting back as he forces himself onto her. To seek her vengeance, once she was freed through ransom, she ordered her servant to decapitate the centurion who raped her. The Galatian queen is holding the severed head as she presents it to her husband to prove that she was defiled by this man. Boccaccio explains that she wrote on this woman to highlight her daring and courageous nature.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18217
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18217_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Important Queens; Vengeance; Queen of Galatians; Rape; Famous Women; Important Women