The story of the Continence of Scipio, taken from ancient Roman history, was especially popular in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Roman General Scipio, having captured New Carthage received a beautiful maiden as part of his war booty, but chose to restore her to her fiancé rather than take her for himself.  Although taken from classical history, the subject could also be given a Christian interpretation as an example of the virtue of self-control.

‍