Martyrdom of a Saint (Lawrence or Bartholomew?)

The poor conservation of the capital hampers a precise interpretation of what is represented here. On the west side the hanging of a saint can be recognized; before him an instrument of torture is fixed to the ground with the help of single piles of earth or stones. The executioner standing to its right is grasping hold of this instrument consisting of two poles and a cross-beam and pointing to the saint. Kneeling before the instrument of torture, a henchman is preparing the stones to be fastened as weights round the ankles of the about-to-be-martyred saint. Behind him, on the short south side of the capital, two figures are standing; one of them is dressed in a long tunic, the other is a soldier with shield and sword. On the left side a further standing henchman seems to be holding a long sharp object in his raised left hand. A second soldier is standing on the short north side; before him a figure with crossed legs is bending forwards.
This scene has been interpreted as the scourging of Saint Lawrence that preceded his martyrdom. The corner figure, in view of his courtly sitting position (with crossed legs), could be interpreted as the emperor Decius (as on S06PP34).
On the basis of the pointed object that one of the executioners holds in his hand, it is possible, however, that the scene represented here is that of the martyrdom of the apostle Saint Bartholomew. In that case the corner figure would be the Armenian king Astyages, who had together with the chief priests conspired against Bartholomew.

Scourging Saint Lawrence Bartholomew martyrdom king Astyages Soldier sword grill torture