De Tamires reyna de los Scithas · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Tamires reyna de los Scithas
Subject: Famous Women; Important Queens; Thamyris; Cyrus; Mythology; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Central Eurasia; Modern day Iran; Scythia
Description: This engraving depicts Thamyris, queen of Scythia, placing the decapitated head of king Cyrus into a bag. Thamyris’ name is engraved beside her head, and Cyrus’ name is engraved beside his body at the bottom of the image. Boccaccio explains that Cyrus had invaded Scythia looking for glory, and when he had killed Thamyris’ son, she exacted her revenge by killing his entire army. When Thamyris found Cyrus’ dead body, she took his head. There are other dead bodies among Cyrus which are his men. There are Thamyris’ soldiers surrounding her, and one who is helping her put the head of Cyrus into the bag.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:16671
Language: spa
Source Name: De Las Mujeres Ilustres [On Famous Women]
Parent Collection: 1494 Mujeres Ilustres
Image: mta_16671_OBJ.png