Nicostrata seu carmenta yonij regis filia · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Nicostrata seu carmenta yonij regis filia
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Italian Peninsula; Italy; Pallantium
Description: This engraving depicts Nicostrata, a woman who was a famous prophetess during her time, holding a scroll of parchment. Nicostrata had gone with her son, Evander, to Italy and he founded the city of Pallantium. Boccaccio explains that once Nicostrata realized that the inhabitants of this city were not well educated or literate, she decided to give them their own language with their own letters and symbols. This was the Latin language. Nicostrata taught the new letters and language to the people of Pallantium, which is what the engraving depicts. There are people sitting on the ground who are listening intently to the prophetess, as she is holding the parchment and teaching them the language. The citizens are also holding books as they listen to Nicostrata.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:18146
Language: lat
Source Name: Iohannis Bocacij in librum de claris mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1487 Leuven; 1487 Leuven
Image: mta_18146_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Latin Language; Roman Legends; Nicostrata; Prophetess