Von Thamiri · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture · Center for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Von Thamiri
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Cyrus; Thamyris
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:18035
Language: ger
Source Name: Hyenach volget der kurcz syn von ettlichen frauen von denen johannes boccacius in latein beschriben hat und doctor heinricus stainhöwel geteütschet [Following the short stories of several women of which Giovanni Boccaccio wrote in Latin, and doctor Heinrich Steinhöwel translated]
Parent Collection: 1473 Augsburg
Image: mta_18035_OBJ.png