6 Facts You May Not Know About The Crucifixion Penalty

Crucifixion was an extremely aggressive method of execution, which gained notoriety and perpetuated itself in history because it was the way used to execute Jesus Christ. And that may come as a surprise to many, but the method was relatively common practice in many ancient countries and has claimed thousands of lives.

1. Mass Crucifixions

Often crucifixions were used to convey a message. Sometimes for the crucified to serve as an example; in other cases, it could be a mere demonstration of power.

One such case was the crucifixion promoted by the Persians when they took back control of Babylon following a rebellion promoted by the Babylonian people. After 19 months of fighting, when they finally managed to topple the gates of the place, the Persians decided to make it clear that rebellions would no longer be tolerated, so they crucified no less than 3, 000 high-ranking Babylonians. To be an example!

In turn, the famous Alexander the Great, when he was able to dominate the city of Tire in Phenicia, and take it from the hands of the Persians, decided to give a finishing touch after so much struggle. He had 2, 000 survivors of the battle crucified and left the crucifixes scattered along the beach as a warning, showing who was in charge from that moment on.

2. Crucifixions in Rome

It may seem strange, but crucifixion was not very common practice in the Roman Empire. In general, this form of execution was used in specific people and situations.

Roman citizens, for example, were almost never crucified. The only exception was if the subject committed high treason against the Empire. As for the slaves, the thing was different: they could be crucified for theft or inciting rebellion.

The fan opened a little wider in the regions annexed to the Roman Empire, where could be crucified those people considered undisciplined, rebellious, unsubmissive ...

3. The Spartacus revolt!

Remember that up here it was mentioned that slaves were crucified for inciting rebellions? Yeah! Gladiators were also slaves, and Spartacus was a gladiator who escaped from a training camp with more than 70 gladiators and recruited thousands more along the way. Doing what? Rebellion!

He survived for a few years and was even tough enough to challenge Rome with the army he had formed. But in the end, he was eventually killed in combat, and his surviving comrades couldn't escape the math: slave + rebellion = crucifixion!

More than 6, 000 survivors were eventually crucified! Yes, in the end this too was a mass crucifixion.

4. After all, where were the nails?

The most widespread images of Christ's crucifixion often depict the nails placed in their hands. However, it is now known that the hands would be unable to bear the weight of the body. Because of this, there are two theories as to how the crucifixion was done.

One of them argues that the nails were in fact held in their hands, but that the victims were previously tied to the cross. Thus, the nail would be solely the punishment suffered by that person, not a fulcrum for the body.

The second theory argues that the nails were placed in the victim's fists, because this part, yes, due to the bones that are located there, would have enough strength to support the weight of a body.

5. Causes of death

The causes of death in a crucifixion could be varied and went far beyond nail injuries, and worse: it could take days to die.

Some died as a result of the flogging they went through before going to the cross. Others ended up dehydrated if the weather was too hot. If it was too cold, they could die of hypothermia, after all they were stripped before being placed on the cross. And some still suffocated, for the position of the body would weaken the breathing organs, which would eventually stop.

6. The Abolition of the Crucifixion

Christianity took a time after Christ's death to strengthen itself. The whole process of accepting Christianity as an official religion took around 300 years!

It began as an outlaw religion, an unofficially recognized cult, then began to be tolerated until it developed so much that it became the dominant religion in the Roman Empire.

It was in 337 AD, motivated by his own veneration of Jesus Christ, that Constantine struck the hammer and decided to abolish the practice of crucifixion once and for all.

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