It is likely that this work drew on Euripides or Seneca. It was one of the ballets which were used as interval entertainments during opera performances at Teatro di Via della Pergola in the carnival season of 1772 (between Christmas and Lent). Its use is recorded for performances of Sebastiano Nasolini's opera Arianna e Teseo (Sartori ID 2596) and for the opera Ezio (Sartori ID 9528) . The libretto for Ezio states that the music for the ballets was written in part by Ridolfo and in part by Plombanti. The second interval ballet for the same night was titled La guiringuette francese; it is likely that Ridolfo and Plombanti provided the music for one of the ballets each.