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The Martyrdom of Saints Quiricus and Julietta

The paintings that illustrate the martyrdom of Saints Quiricus and Julietta are the following:

(photographic gallery: to start, click on the first image)

S. Julietta in front of Alexander governor of Tarsus
1st frame: S. Julietta in front of Alexander governor of Tarsus

S. Quiricus led to the court by soldiers

2nd frame: S. Quiricus is led to court by soldiers
 

Unidentifiable scene

3d frame: Unidentifiable scene

  

Flagellation of S. Quiricus

4th frame: The flagellation of S. Quiricus
 

S. Quiricus, together with his mother, talks in front of the governor with a severed toungue

5th frame: S. Quiricus, together with his mother, talks in front of the governor with a severed tongue

  

Saints Quiricus and Julietta in prison and in the cacabus torture

6th frame: Saints Quiricus and Julietta in prison and the cacabusCooking pot torture
 

S. Quiricus and his mother in the sartagine torture

7th frame: Saint Quiricus and his mother and the sartagine torture

  

S. Quiricus and the nail torture and the death of S. Quiricus

8th frame: S. Quiricus and the nail torture followed by the death of the saint

 

The spaces not occupied by the stories of Saints Quiricus and Julietta represent:

  • In the left hand frame of the northern wall: Theodotus in a donor stance, kneeling in front of the two martyrs;
  • In the right hand frame of the northern wall: four saints (two female and two male) identified by a latin inscription as saints known only to God;
  • Frame containing the lost inscription In the large frame on the southern wall: the Virgin with child between the apostoles Peter and Paul, saints Quiricus and Julietta, Pope Zaccarias and Theodotus the latter two  having square halos and identified by inscriptions; the extensive inscription around Theodotus’ halo attests Santa Maria Antiqua as the original name of the church. The important inscription, nearly completely lost today, is documented through a photograph acquired at the moment of its discovery;
  • In the southern wall niche: the Crucifixion with John the Baptist together with a roman soldier on the right hand side and the Virgin together with Longinus on the opposite side.
  • In the right hand side frame of the western wall: Theodotus, his wife and two sons with the Virgin and Child at the center.

Note: transcription provided by Eva Tea, La Basilica di S. Maria Antiqua, Milan, 1937: THEODOTVS PRIMICERI – DEFENSORUM ET disPENSATORE SĊE DI GENE (tric) IS SEN PERQUE BIRGO MARIA QUI APPELLATUR ANTIQA



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