Lycurgus was the legendary legislator of Sparta, credited with the formation of its eunomia (‘good order’), involving political, economic, and social reforms to produce a military-oriented Spartan society in accordance with the Delphic oracle. The Spartans in the historical period honored him as a god.

After the engraving from Legistrators section of “Iconographie grecque” (Pl.8) by Ennio Quirino Visconti published in 1808 in Paris. Visconti (1751-1818) was an Italian antiquarian and art historian, papal Prefect of Antiquities, and an expert on ancient Roman sculpture. Published by order of Napoleon copies of this three volume work were given out as gifts.