De Olimpiade Macedonie · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Olimpiade Macedonie
Subject: Olympias; Cleopatra; King Philip II; Murder; Important Women
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Epirus; Macedon
Description: This engraving depicts Olympias of Macedon on the left-hand side of the engraving approaching a man hanging on a cross. We know that this figure is Olympias as her name is engraved above her head. The man being crucified is Pausanias, a man who helped Olympias with the murder of King Philip of Macedon (husband to Olympias). Boccaccio explains that Olympias placed the golden crown that Pausanias is wearing on his head to honour him and reward him for the assassination. Along with getting her husband murdered, she also had her husband’s new wife and child murdered out of anger. Cleopatra, King Philips other wife, is pictured on the right side of the engraving hanging by her neck on a tree. Her name is engraved above her head. Cleopatra’s child is depicted sitting on the ground as one of Olympias’ servants is bashing her head with a rock.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:11964
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_11964_OBJ.png