The image of Semiramis in the prose of Francesco Petrarch

The article is aimed at analyzing the image of Queen Semiramis, its creation and functioning in the prose work of Francesco Petrarch (1304-1374), namely his historical work De viris illustribus and letters from the collections Epistolae sine titulo and De rebus familiaribus. The image of Semiramis has been very significant in world literature and culture since antiquity, which determines the relevance of the research. The use of this image by Petrarch has not yet been studied by Russian and foreign scholars, which determines the novelty of the chosen topic. The chapter on Semiramis was included in the second part of De viris illustribus, among the stories about the deeds of biblical heroes and legendary characters. Describing the life story of the Queen, Petrarch emphasizes her most important qualities, creating the image of a cruel warrior, builder, and harlot. In his extensive correspondence, Petrarch most often uses the image of Semiramis as one of the symbols of Babylon-Avignon, with Semiramis becoming the embodiment of the vices of the papal curia. Petrarch uses the positive connotation of the image of Semiramis the warrior only in his letter to the Empress Anna on the occasion of the birth of her daughter to emphasize the versatility of women and their importance in the history of mankind. The image of Semiramis allows Petrarch to create vivid and emotionally colored artistic and publicistic images of his time. In addition, symbolic images similar to that of Semiramis are significant units of the international language of the new humanistic culture, which Petrarch develops in his works to communicate with like-minded people.