Public Executions In The Arena

[MICHELE PATRI]

AUREA OF OSTIA WHIPPED

Aurea of Ostia is venerated as the patron saint of Ostia. According to one scholar, “although the acta of Saint Aurea are pious fiction, she was a genuine martyr with a very early cultus at Ostia.”
According to tradition, she was martyred sometime during the mid-third century, either during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus or Trebonianus Gallus. Said to have been of royal or noble blood, Aurea was exiled from Rome to Ostia because she was a Christian. In Ostia, she lived on an estate outside of the city walls and maintained contact with local Christians, including the bishop of Ostia, Cyriacus (Quiriacus).
Miracles associated with Aurea while she was in Ostia relate how a Christian prisoner named Censorinus had his chains miraculously loosened after he had been comforted by Aurea. Seventeen soldiers converted to Christianity as a result of this miracle, and were later beheaded near Ostia's Arch of Caracalla. Ulpius Romulus executed Aurea’s friends and tortured Aurea. When she refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, she was whipped and burned with hot irons; eventually she was thrown into the sea with a stone tied around her neck.

 

[Apostate]

View attachment 685375

AUREA OF OSTIA WHIPPED

Aurea of Ostia is venerated as the patron saint of Ostia. According to one scholar, “although the acta of Saint Aurea are pious fiction, she was a genuine martyr with a very early cultus at Ostia.”
According to tradition, she was martyred sometime during the mid-third century, either during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus or Trebonianus Gallus. Said to have been of royal or noble blood, Aurea was exiled from Rome to Ostia because she was a Christian. In Ostia, she lived on an estate outside of the city walls and maintained contact with local Christians, including the bishop of Ostia, Cyriacus (Quiriacus).
Miracles associated with Aurea while she was in Ostia relate how a Christian prisoner named Censorinus had his chains miraculously loosened after he had been comforted by Aurea. Seventeen soldiers converted to Christianity as a result of this miracle, and were later beheaded near Ostia's Arch of Caracalla. Ulpius Romulus executed Aurea’s friends and tortured Aurea. When she refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, she was whipped and burned with hot irons; eventually she was thrown into the sea with a stone tied around her neck.

Michele, what I like about your depictions of Christian martyrs is you dispense with depictions of said martyrs undergoing ghastly tortures and mutilations with serene, "saintly" expressions.

The depictions of Saint Barbara below do just that, but do have the virtue of her being mostly naked.

 

[thehangingtree]

Michele, what I like about your depictions of Christian martyrs is you dispense with depictions of said martyrs undergoing ghastly tortures and mutilations with serene, "saintly" expressions.

The depictions of Saint Barbara below do just that, but do have the virtue of her being mostly naked.

I hate to mention this but Barb is not a saint!!!

 

[Apostate]

I hate to mention this but Barb is not a saint!!!

You’ll have to take that up with her, Tree.

 

[thehangingtree]

You’ll have to take that up with her, Tree.

Just stating the facts, Apostate...

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

MARGARETA OF ANTHIOCH PUBLICLY SCOURGED

Margareta, also called "Marina", lived at Antioch in Asia Minor, where her father was a pagan priest. Having embraced Christianity and consecrated her virginity to God, she was disowned by her father.
She was arrested and brought in public trial. Threatened with death unless she renounced the Christian faith, she refused to adore the gods of the empire, so she was tortured in various ways. She was then bound hands and feet and savagely scourged. Finally the prefect ordered her to be beheaded.

 

[Muaddib74]

Wow, looks very „Marcus”. Love his drawings. Do you have more of those series you may post? I’d really appreciate.

I also love Marcus' ol' drawings.......

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

PARASCEVA OF IKONIUM CRUCIFIED AND TORTURED

Parasceva of Ikonium (also known as Paraskeva Pyatnitsa) is venerated as a Christian virgin martyr. According to Christian tradition, she was born to a rich family of Ikonium. Her parents were Christian, and Parasceva was named as such (the name means "Friday" in Greek) because she was baptized on a Friday and because Friday was the day of Christ's Passion.
Parasceva became a preacher, and according to tradition, converted a man named Antoninus to Christianity. She was subsequently crucified at Ikonium during the persecutions of Diocletian.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

BLANDINA OF LYON CONDEMNED “AD BESTIAS” AS A CHRISTIAN REBEL

Blandina was a Christian slave girl who was killed in 177 in Lyon during the same persecution to which also Perpetua and Felicitas fell victim. According to the legend, she was tortured on the rack and, when that did not break her spirit, presented in the arena to a pride of hungry tigers and lions.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

DOROTHEA OF CAESAREA TORTURED WITH TORCHES

Dorotea (died ca. 311) is a 4th-century virgin martyr who was executed at Caesarea Mazaca. She is called a martyr of the Diocletianic Persecution, although her death occurred after the resignation of Diocletian himself. She should not be confused with another 4th-century saint, Dorothea of Alexandria.
According to the legend, she was brought before the prefect Sapricius, tried, tortured, and sentenced to death. What exactly was done to her is not quite clear; some reports mention burning with torches, whipping and breast torture, others dipping into boiling water. On her way to the place of execution the pagan lawyer Theophilus said to her in mockery: "Bride of Christ, send me some fruits from your bridegroom's garden." Before she was executed, she sent him, by a six-year-old boy, her headdress which was found to be filled with a heavenly fragrance of roses and fruits. Theophilus at once confessed himself a Christian, was put on the rack, and suffered death.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

REPARATA OF CAESAREA TORTURED WITH HOT IRONS

Reparata was a Christian virgin and martyr of the third century AD, possibly mythical, of Caesarea, Roman Province of Palestine. Sources record her age as being from 15 to 20 years old. During the persecution of Emperor Decius (3rd Century) she was arrested because of her faith. She was tortured; red-hot branding irons were pressed against her body and breasts. When she did not renounce her faith, she was thrown into a furnace and burned alive. According to one version of her legend she was beheaded (after being led naked from the prison to the execution site), while another version reports that the executioners cut her belly open and pulled out her intestines.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

MARCIANA OF MAURETANIA CONDEMNED “AD BESTIAS”

Marciana is venerated as a martyr and saint. Her legend states that she was a virgin from Mauretania Caesariensis (now Algeria). She was the daughter of a wealthy Mauretanian family, but she left her hometown and all her wealth, and preferred to live a simple and chaste life in another town.
During the persecutions of Christians by Roman Emperor Diocletian, she was accused of having smashed a statue of Diana. Marciana was thrown to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre of Caesarea, where she was gored and mauled by lions and tigers in 333 a.D.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

CHRISTINA OF TYRO/BOLSENA SHOT WITH ARROWS
Her hagiography seems to be composed of elements of the lives of other saints. According to the legend, her father was the governor of Tyro, a no longer existing town on an island in the lake of Volsinium now Lago di Bolsena, Italy), and of course a pagan. He kept his daughter locked in a tower to keep her away from the new religions spreading through the Roman empire. But one of the servants assigned to her was a Christian, and so Christina heard of the Christian faith and accepted it. Her father was furious and, in order to set her mind right, subjected her to punishments and tortures of increasing atrocity: whipping by his soldiers, roasting on an iron bed or cradle, boiling in sulphur, drowning in the lake with a millstone around her neck, etc.—but nothing worked. Finally he had her taken to the circus of his town, where his soldiers first cut the girl's tongue off and then shot her with arrows.

 

[Loxuru]

whipping by his soldiers, roasting on an iron bed or cradle, boiling in sulphur, drowning in the lake with a millstone around her neck, etc.—but nothing worked.

"OK! Men! Apparently that did not work either! Anything we did not try yet!? Anyone another suggestion!?"

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

FIRMINA OF AMELIA CRUCIFIED AND TORTURED WITH TORCHES

Firmina lived towards the end of the 3rd Century in Amelia, a town in Umbria (Italy). Her family was wealthy; her father was a high-ranking Roman official.
When the persecution of Emperor Diocletianus began, she could have stayed in her rather remote home town and led an untroubled life. Instead, she chose to go to Rome and to support the Christian community there. Firmina was especially well remembered by those who had been sentenced to forced labour in the Roman quarries.
Then, however, Firmina was arrested as a Christian herself. As the Christians refused to make sacrifices to the god-emperor, they were thought to be illoyal subjects or even traitors. However, the judge presiding over Firmina's trial was a just man and allowed the young woman to defend herself. She did this so well that the judge acquitted her; later he became a Christian himself.
But the persecution was still going on. In 303 Firmina was arrested again. This time her judge was a cruel and arrogant man who let her be tortured in order to make her renounce her faith. But she remained steadfast, so she was crucified and singed with torches.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

PARASCEVA OF IKONIUM SUSPENDED AND BURNED

Parasceva (also known as Paraskeva Pyatnitsa) is venerated as a Christian virgin martyr. According to Christian tradition, she was born to a rich family of Iconium. Her parents were Christian, and Parasceva became a preacher. She converted a man named Antoninus to Christianity. She was subsequently martyred at Iconium during the persecutions of Diocletian. During her martyrdom she underwent various tortures, including her suspension to be burned with torches.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

EUDOCIA OF TUSCIA SCOURGED TO DEATH

Eudocia (Eudoxia/Eudossia) was a noble and pious woman from Tuscia, a region North of Rome comprising the Southern part of the former Etruscian empire. She was arrested as a Christian rebel and was whipped to death for her faith in 306.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

[This manipulation took inspiration from a picture by the artist loum-rote]


IRENE OF MAGEDON SCOURGED BEFORE BEING THROWN INTO FIRE

Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century. She was the daughter of Licinius, the pagan ruler of a certain small kingdom, and his wife Licinia, and at birth her parents named her Penelope.

Penelope was very beautiful, and her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the time she was six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity. He also placed thirteen young maidens in the tower with her. An old tutor by the name of Apellian was appointed to give her the best possible education. Apellian was a Christian, and during her lessons, he told the girl about Christ the Savior and taught her about the Christian Faith and Christian virtues.

When Penelope reached adolescence, her parents began to think about her marriage. Penelope refused marriage, was baptized by the priest Timothy, and he named her Irene (peace). She even urged her own parents to become Christians. Shortly after being baptized, she smashed all her father’s idols to pieces.

Irene went to live in the house of her teacher Apellian, and she began to preach Christ among the pagans, leading them to the path of salvation.

When Sedekias the new prefect of the city, heard of the miracles performed by the woman, he summoned Apellian and questioned him about Irene’s manner of life. Apellian replied that Irene, like other Christians, lived in strict temperance, devoting herself to constant prayer and reading holy books. Sedekias summoned Irene to him and urged her to stop preaching about Christ. He also attempted to force her to sacrifice to the idols. Irene staunchly confessed her faith before the prefect, not fearing his wrath, and prepared to undergo suffering for Christ. By order of Sedekias she was subjected to many tortures, but she remained unharmed.

Sedekias was deposed by his son Sapor, who persecuted Christians with an even greater zeal than his father had done. Irene went to her home town of Magedon in Persia to meet Sapor and his army, and ask him to end the persecution. When he refused, Irene prayed and his entire army was blinded. She prayed again and they received their sight once more. In spite of this, Sapor refused to recognize the power of God.

After this, Irene went to the city of Callinicum (possibly on the Euphrates River in Syria). The ruler of that place was King Numerian, the son of Sebastian. When she began to teach about Christ, she was arrested and tortured by the pagan authorities. Sensing the approach of death, Numerian instructed his eparch Babdonus to continue torturing the saint in order to force her to sacrifice to idols. Once again, the tortures were ineffective, and many people turned to Christ.

According to the Western Martyrologies, Saint Irene was martyred in Thessaloniki after being savagely scourged and finally thrown into the fire.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

MARTINA OF ROME TORTURED WITH IRON HOOKS

Martina of Rome was a Roman martyr under emperor Alexander Severus. A patron saint of Rome, she was martyred in 226, according to some authorities, more probably in 228.
The daughter of an ex-consul, she was described as a noble and beautiful virgin. She so openly testified to her Christian faith that she could not escape the persecutions under Alexander Severus.
Arrested and commanded to return to idolatry, she refused, whereupon she was subjected to various tortures and was finally beheaded. These tortures according to her vita include being scourged and tortured with iron hooks.

 

[MICHELE PATRI]

BEATA OF SENS CRUCIFIED AND TORTURED TO DEATH AS A CHRISTIAN REBEL

This martyr's name is Beata or, in later sources, Benedicta. Little seems to be known about her. She lived and died for her faith in “ager Senonicus” in Gallia (today: region of Sens, France), where she is venerated until today.
According to the tradition, she was crucified and then tortured in various ways intil she died.