Caritas Romana (“Roman Charity”) is the story of a woman named Pero, secretly breastfeeding her father Cimon after he was condemned to death by starvation. After the discovery of the daughter’s dedication (pietas) Cimon was pardoned.
The story is described in the work of a Roman writer from the 1st century CE – Valerius Maximus, Factorum dictorumque memorabilum, libri IX. The legend comes from earlier Hellenistic sources and was often depicted in Roman frescos.
