De Epicari libertina femina · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: De Epicari libertina femina
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Nero; Emperor Nero; Assassination; Conspiracies; Epicharis
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Italy; Ancient Rome
Description: This engraving depicts the freedwoman, Epicharis, being tortured for information regarding a conspiracy to kill emperor Nero. Epicharis is depicted on the left side of the engraving with her hands in some form of torturing device as a man with a hammer tortures her. Her name, written as “Epitharis” is engraved above her head to identify her. Epicharis is also depicted on the right side of the image with her feet restrained in a stock. Epicharis had heard the details of the conspiracy to assassinate emperor Nero, and when she put her faith in the wrong person, they told emperor Nero that she was involved in the plan. They tortured her many times; however, she did not reveal the names of anyone involved in the conspiracy. She ended up killing herself to avoid revealing the details to the emperor.
Image Creator: Anonymous (Engraver)
Type: Text; Woodcut Engraving
Identifier: mta:16699
Language: lat
Source Name: De Claris Mulieribus
Parent Collection: 1473 Ulm; 1473 Ulm
Image: mta_16699_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Important Women; Famous Women; Nero; Emperor Nero; Assassination; Conspiracies; Epicharis