Sophonisbe

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The Death of the Sophonisbe by Giambattista Pittoni
Georg Pencz : Sophonisbe empties the poison cup , 16th century

Sophonisbe (in ancient Latin Sophoniba , first post-antique Sophonisba , Greek Σοφονίβα, German Sophonisbe , Punic Saphanba'al "Baal hath judged"; † 203 BC in Cirta ) was the daughter of the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal and from 206/205 to 203 v. BC Queen of Numidia . During the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome , she became an instrument of her father's marriage policy. Shortly before the end of the war, in the face of the threat of Roman imprisonment, she distinguished herself through her indomitable demeanor, which earned her the admiration of posterity.

She was betrothed to Massinissa early , but then around 205 BC. Married the west Numid king Syphax , who subsequently allied himself with Carthage against Rome. After the defeat and capture of Syphax in 203 BC. It fell into the hands of Massinissa, who immediately married her in order to withdraw her from the power of the Romans; but when Scipio , fearing the influence of Sophonisbe on Massinissa, demanded her extradition, she drank the poison cup that Massinissa had given her.

During the Renaissance dealt Giovanni Boccaccio in De claris mulieribus (1361/62), Francesco Petrarca in the epic Africa (1340) and Trionfo d'amore (after 1352) and Matteo Bandello in the amendment Infelice esito de l'amore del re Masinissa e de la reina Sofonisba sua moglie (before 1554) with the figure of Sophonisbe. Her story has been dealt with dramatically in many ways, including by Gian Giorgio Trissino (1515), Jean Mairet (1634, 1770 edited by Voltaire ), Pierre Corneille (1663), Daniel Casper von Lohenstein (1669), James Thomson (1730), Emanuel Geibel ( 1856) and Hermann Hersch (1859). The latest dramatic adaptations of the theme are by Abdelaziz Ferrah (2005) and Thomas Geisler (2006).

Numerous operas, especially from the 18th century, were devoted to Sophonisbe, including works by Antonio Caldara (1708), Christoph Willibald Gluck (1744), Tommaso Traetta (1762) and Maria Teresa Agnesi Pinottini (1765). Her suicide was also a popular motif in the fine arts, especially of the 17th century, among others by Bartholomäus Spranger (around 1610, Prague, National Gallery), Rembrandt (1634, Madrid, Prado), Isaac Moillon (1655, Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1755, Milan, Palazzo Dugnani). Sophonisbe also appears in the Italian monumental films Cabiria (1914, played by Italia Almirante Manzini ) and Karthagos Fall (1937), which are set at the time of the Second Punic War.

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Commons : Sophonisba  - collection of images, videos and audio files
personal data
SURNAME Sophonisbe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Sophonibe
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Carthaginian woman, daughter of the general Hasdrubal (son of Gisgos)
DATE OF BIRTH 3rd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH around 203 BC Chr.