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Semiramis

File:Semiramis-Regina.png · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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thumb|Semiramis, a legendary figure based on the life of Shammuramat, depicted as an armed Amazons|Amazon in an eighteenth-century Italian illustration Semiramis (; Šammīrām, Šamiram, , Samīrāmīs) was the legendary Lydian-Babylonian wife of Onnes and of Ninus, who succeeded the latter on the throne of Assyria, according to Movses Khorenatsi. Legends narrated by Diodorus Siculus, who drew primarily from the works of Ctesias of Cnidus, describe her and her relationships to Onnes and King Ninus.

AI overview

Semiramis was a legendary ancient figure, based on the historical person Shammuramat, who according to classical sources was the wife of King Ninus and later ruled Assyria herself. She matters primarily as a figure of enduring cultural interest—appearing in ancient historical accounts by writers like Diodorus Siculus and inspiring artistic depictions for centuries—though modern scholars recognize that the elaborate legends about her mix myth with historical fact.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

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Encyclopedic overview

12 sections
Contents
  • Historical figure
  • Legend according to Diodorus Siculus
  • Other ancient traditions
  • In later traditions
  • Literary references
  • The Two Babylons
  • In modern culture
  • See also
  • References
  • Bibliography
  • Primary sources
  • Secondary sources

thumb|Semiramis, a legendary figure based on the life of Shammuramat, depicted as an armed Amazons|Amazon in an eighteenth-century Italian illustration Semiramis (; Šammīrām, Šamiram, , Samīrāmīs) was the legendary Lydian-Babylonian wife of Onnes and of Ninus, who succeeded the latter on the throne of Assyria, according to Movses Khorenatsi. Legends narrated by Diodorus Siculus, who drew primarily from the works of Ctesias of Cnidus, describe her and her relationships to Onnes and King Ninus.

Armenians and the Assyrians of Iraq, northeast Syria, southeast Turkey, and northwest Iran still use Shamiram and its derivative Samira as a given name for girls.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Semiramis” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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