A couple of months ago i have published four illuminations of violent Women (
The ultimate biblical Femdom), assuming the pictures to be biblical illustrations. My mistake. i was able to read correctly only three names (Virgin Mary, Judith, Yael), the forth Queen remained a mystery for me. i suggested Tamar, but it was wrong, the correct reading is Tomyris (Tomris).
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| Beautiful renaissance Queen Tomyris by Andrea del Castagno, 1450 |
Her story comes from Greek historian Herodotus, but it seems like all others after him mentioned Her also. No wonder. The story tells of the attack upon the Massagetae (nomadic confederation in Central Asia) by Cyrus the Great, King of the Persians. Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae, lost the first battle of the war during which her son was captured and subsequently he took his own life. But Queen Tomyris won the second battle, killed Cyrus and then - as she had promised and as seen on the picture - made his severed head drink its fill of human blood out of a wine skin to 'quench his thirst for blood'.
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