Marpesia et Lapodone reginis · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Marpesia et Lapodone reginis
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Themiscyra; Ancient Greece; Anatolia; Thermodon
Description: This engraving depicts the queens of the Amazons, Martesia (also known as Marpesia) and Lampedo. The Amazons, as described by Boccaccio, were a group of widows who decided to take up arms and fight to avenge their husbands’ deaths. They began dedicating their lives to training in riding horse-back, archery, and other military skills. The Amazons elected Lampedo and Martesia to be their queens. Lampedo is depicted with a bow and arrow in her right hand as she rides her horse. Martesia is illustrated looking back at Lampedo with a cross bow in her hand. They are illustrated wearing crowns to demonstrate their royal status. The women riding behind them are other Amazon women.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18132
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18132_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Lampedo; Marpesia; Important Women; Important Queens; Famous Women; Amazons; Mythology; Martesia