Cy sensuit histoire de thamire la tres noble royne des scithes · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Cy sensuit histoire de thamire la tres noble royne des scithes
Subject: Thamyris; Important Women; Famous Women; Important Queens; Cyrus; Revenge
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Central Asia; Modern day Iran; Scythia
Description: This illumination depicts Queen Thamyris in the centre of the image wearing a crown and armor as she swings a sword above her head. She was renowned for her nobility and capabilities of ruling a nomadic tribe. Boccaccio explains that King Cyrus of Asia Minor 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 for revenge. She is illustrated swinging her sword, about to cut off the head of King Cyrus. King Cyrus is depicted wearing a crown in order to identify him and his royal status.
Image Creator: Master of Boethius (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:19956
Language: frm
Source Name: Des cleres et nobles femmes, De claris mulieribus in an anonymous French translation
Parent Collection: 1410 Paris
Image: mta_19956_OBJ.jpg