Ten thousand martyrs
Encyclopedia
The ten thousand martyrs of Mount Ararat were, according to a medieval legend, Roman
soldiers who, led by Saint Acacius
, converted to Christianity
and were crucified on Mount Ararat
in Armenia
by order of the Roman emperor. The story is attributed to the ninth century scholar Anastasius Bibliothecarius
.
The martyr
s are commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church
but not (as might have been expected given the location of Mount Ararat) by the Eastern Orthodox Church
or the Armenian Apostolic Church
, and the story is thought to be without historical foundation.
Despite its questionable veracity, the event was extremely popular in Renaissance
art, as seen for example in the painting 10,000 martyrs of Mount Ararat by the Venetian
artist Vittore Carpaccio
, or in the Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand
by the German artist Albrecht Dürer
.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
soldiers who, led by Saint Acacius
Saint Acacius
Saint Acacius was a 4th century priest who lived in Sebaste, Armenia, during Diocletian's persecution. He was arrested and executed under the governor Maximus with seven women and one Hirenarchus, who was so impressed with the devotion to their faith he became a Christian and suffered the same...
, converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and were crucified on Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat
Mount Ararat is a snow-capped, dormant volcanic cone in Turkey. It has two peaks: Greater Ararat and Lesser Ararat .The Ararat massif is about in diameter...
in Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
by order of the Roman emperor. The story is attributed to the ninth century scholar Anastasius Bibliothecarius
Anastasius Bibliothecarius
Anastasius Bibliothecarius was Head of archives and antipope of the Roman Catholic Church.- Family and education :...
.
The martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
s are commemorated by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
but not (as might have been expected given the location of Mount Ararat) by the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
or the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
, and the story is thought to be without historical foundation.
Despite its questionable veracity, the event was extremely popular in Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
art, as seen for example in the painting 10,000 martyrs of Mount Ararat by the Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
artist Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio
Vittore Carpaccio was an Italian painter of the Venetian school, who studied under Gentile Bellini. He is best known for a cycle of nine paintings, The Legend of Saint Ursula. His style was somewhat conservative, showing little influence from the Humanist trends that transformed Italian...
, or in the Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand
Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand
The Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand is an oil painting by Albrecht Dürer, dating to 1508 and now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum of Vienna, Austria...
by the German artist Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer
Albrecht Dürer was a German painter, printmaker, engraver, mathematician, and theorist from Nuremberg. His prints established his reputation across Europe when he was still in his twenties, and he has been conventionally regarded as the greatest artist of the Northern Renaissance ever since...
.