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Title
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De Semiamira messana muliere
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Description
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This engraving depicts Soaemias, a Greek woman, sitting in the middle of a meeting of the Roman senate with her son, Elagabalus, as Roman emperor. They are depicted sitting in a circle, with everyone looking at Elagabalus, who is illustrated wearing a crown and holding a scepter. The names Soaemias, written as Semiamira, and Elagabalus written as Eliogabolus, are engraved above their heads. Elagabalus would not have become emperor without his mother’s help, so he granted her the ability to have authority and did nothing without her consent. This image is highly significant as she was, as Boccaccio explains, the first woman to have a seat among the Roman senate and discuss her opinions and views on what must be done. The right side of the engraving depicts Soaemias kissing a man to represent her life as a prostitute before becoming mother to the emperor.
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Image Creator
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Anonymous (Engraver)
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Identifier
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mta:16703
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Source Name
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De Claris Mulieribus
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Image
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mta_16703_OBJ.png
mta_16703_OBJ.png