I could not determine

if the story behind this painting was a real event or whether it was a legend. Maybe it is a combination of the two. What do you think?

"We know from his {Albrecht Durer} letters that this spectacular work was one of Durer's favourites. It was commissioned by Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony & a learned man who had also engaged Durer's talents on several previous occasions. The subject, provided by the patron, is the martyrdom of the Ten Thousand Christians on Mount Ararat in what is now Armenia. They were massacred by the 4th century Persian King Sapor, acting on the orders of the Roman Emperor. Frederick had a personal interest in the story, as his collection of relics included what were said to be remains of some of the victims. The panel was intended to hang in the elector's relic room, to illustrate the origin of some of the pieces found there. The theme also had contemporary resonances {in the 16th century}." (from How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters, Patrick de Rynck, p. 142)

The commentary with the painting on the Web Gallery of Art makes this comment ~~ "The altarpiece depicts the legend of the ten thousand Christians who were martyred on Mount Ararat, in a massacre perpetrated by the Persian King Saporat on the command of the Roman Emperors Hadrian and Antonius."

I've chased around on the Net to see what I could find. To start with, King Sapor is King Shapur is King Saporat. At Wikipedia, we find that there were Persians Kings, the Sassanians: Shapur I 241-272 AD, Shapur II 309-379 AD & Shapur III 383-388 AD. Both Shapur II & Shapur III reigned in the 4th century.

Shapur II successfully wrested what is now Armenia from the Roman Empire:
"Shapur now invaded Armenia, where he took king Arsaces III, the faithful ally of the Romans, prisoner by treachery and forced him to commit suicide. He then attempted to introduce Zoroastrian orthodoxy into Armenia. However, the Armenian nobles resisted him successfully, secretly supported by the Romans, who sent King Pap, the son of Arsaces III, into Armenia. The war with Rome threatened to break out again, but Valens sacrificed Pap, arranging for his assassination in Tarsus, where he had taken refuge (374). Shapur had conducted great hosts of captives from the Roman territory into his dominions, most of whom were settled in Susiana. Here he rebuilt Susa, after having killed the city's rebellious inhabitants. By his death the Persian Empire was stronger than ever before, considerably larger than when he came to the throne, the eastern enemies were pacified and Persia had gained control over Armenia." Wikipedia

Lastly: This site gives the names & dates of some of the Christian martyrs who did die under Shapur II. Scroll down to November 2nd & November 3rd to read about them. (November Synaxarion)

It is best if you have two windows open so you can read my comments while you view the enlarged image.

Quotes below will be from How to Read a Painting: Lessons from the Old Masters, Peter de Rynck

In the middle ground to the far right, take note of "the bearded man with the enormous turban [who] is probably the leader of the massacre, the Persian King Sapor. The Christians' tormentors look remarkably 'oriental', which was no doubt a reference to the 'Turkish threat' in Durer's own time." A Turkish threat is Durer's time, a Persian (which of course is present day Iran) nuclear threat in our time.

Amost in the middle of the painting you will see two men, both dressed in black. The one on the left is Durer's friend Konrad Celtis, a professor, who had recently died. Durer stands to his right holding his signature which says in Latin "This Albrecht Durer, German, made this in the year of our Lord 1508."

Perhaps "the message of the painting is that the human spirit lives on, despite the brutality all around"? Celtis was added to the painting to commemorate his life.

"A total of around 130 figures has been painted, each dying one of a variety of martyrs' deaths. Several torments recalling the Passion of Christ are deliberately included in the foreground"; at the left you can see a cross & martyr.

Well now, what about those lemons?? Coming up next in a still life near you.