Who carried Jesus' cross?

Both Jesus and Simon of Cyrene carried Jesus' cross on the way to Calvary, also known as Golgotha. Jesus began the trek alone but struggled under the weight of the cross. The Roman soldiers forced Simon, who was passing by, to bear the burden.

Prior to Roman crucifixion, a condemned individual was often forced to take an indirect route to the execution site. Therefore, a large number of people were able to view the procession. This served both as additional punishment and a warning to others. Though the "criminal" was forced to carry at least part of the cross, it is unclear if Jesus hauled the entire cross, the upright beam or the crosspiece.