How does Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand elucidate its History?
The painting was commissioned by Frederick III, Elector of Saxony for the All Saints' Church, Wittenberg. Frederick had been Dürer's patron since 1496. He himself chose the subject, as his collection of relics included some of the Ten thousand martyrs.Dürer had used the same subject for a woodcut of some ten years before, but in the new work he eliminated some macabre details such as the torture of the bishop Acacius,  having his eyes stripped through a drill. This scene was replaced by a crucifixion on the right and by the presence of the bishop in chains behind it.The work was repeatedly mentioned in the correspondence between the artist and  Jakob Heller of Frankfurt.  Dürer received  280 florins for it.
Jakob Heller Acacius Frankfurt florin woodcut Ten thousand martyrs All Saints' Church, Wittenberg Frederick III, Elector of Saxony