Semiramis Called to War Jacques Stella, 1637.(AINA) -- The Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad V (823-811 B.C.) was married to none other than the famous and infamous Assyrian queen Semiramis (Sammurammat or Shamiram), whom so many Assyrian woman are named after today. There is a stele about her, it says:
Stele of Sammurammat Queen of Shamshi-Adad King of all, king of Ashur mother of Adad-nerari King of all, king of Ashur Daughter-in-law [kalta] of Shalmaneser King of the four regions
When Shamshi-Adad died in 811 B.C. Semiramis became the queen of the largest empire in the world, and she ruled until 806 B.C., when her son ascended to the throne.
Semiramis was known throughout the medieval and classical world and gained legendary and mythical status. Dante includes her in his epic poem Inferno, where she is unjustifiably placed in the circle of lust. Dante says,
She is Semiramis of whom we read That she succeeded Ninus, and was his spouse; She held the land which now the Sultan rules.
Semiramis was portrayed by the greatest painters of Europe. The following is a collection of those paintings.
Christian Köhler, Semiramis, 1852.
Semiramis and Ninus, after Guido Reni (1575 - 1642).
Semiramis and her son Ninias, Woodcut illustration, hand-colored. Printed by Johannes Zainer at Ulm ca. 147.
Pierre Bellet (1865--1924), Semiramis.
Semiramis staring at the corpse of Ara the Beautiful. Painting by Vardges Sureniants (1860-1921).
Flemish tapestry, Queen Semiramis and her servants, c. 1480 A.D.
Edgar Degas 1861, Semiramis Building Babylon, Oil on canvas, 151 x 258 cm.
The Oath of Semiramis, by Pietro da Cortona, Oil on copper, 51.2 x 70.7 cm.
Rene-Antoine Houasse, 1676 CE, Semiramis and Nebuchadnezzar Build the Gardens of Babylon.
Guercino (1591--1666) Semiramis Called to Arms. 1645.
Semiramis, Matteo Rosselli, oil on Canvas, 68 7/8x86 1/4in.
Andrea del Michieli, called Vicentino - VICENZA 1542-1617 VENEZIA, SEMIRAMIS HEARING THE NEWS OF A REVOLT IN BABYLON, Pen and brown ink and wash over black chalk; S.V. no. 147; 190 by 282 mm.
Adriaen Backer, Semiramis Receives Word of the Uprising in Babylon (1669).
Tischbein the Elder, Johann Heinrich; Semiramis receives the news of the Babylonian revolt; Oil on canvas, 73 x 56 cm.
William de Leftwich Dodge; Semiramide, Act I scene xi.; Illustration for The Great Operas edited by James W Buel, Large lithograph.
Abraham van Diepenbeeck (1596--1675), Story of Semiramis.1627-1638.
Demetre Chiparus (1886-1947), Semiramis.
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