History of Torture: Greek/Roman Torture

The word torture comes from the Latin word torquere meaning 'to twist'. For at least 3000 years torture was a legalmeans of punishment, either by
court order or privately. The earliest recorded reference of torture in use was describedby an Egyptian poet. He describes how Ramses II in 1300 BC
tortured prisoners who were taken into slavery or killedduring the Hittite invasion of Europe. Adultery, incest, treason or sorcery (which was also
considered treason, believing it could be used against the Emperor), could cause the accused to go before the quaestio, the judicial inquiry which
permitted the use of torture. In Rome, before Christianity, a Christian was considered a heretic and could be tortured in order to force him to deny his
religion. Later, Christian emperors decreed that anyone found guilty of insulting a priest in the Church would have both feet and hands amputated.
Later, it was revised to only amputate one hand. Citizens who committed heresy and other offences against the church were punished by flogging. Yes,
the supposed men of God were quite sadistic. There were different punishments which applied to freeman or slave. Whereas a freeman might simply be
fined for a certain offense, a slave could be killed for the same offense. And rarely would a free citizen be tortured. Only slaves and foreign citizens
were "worthy" of such punishment. Never, or at least rarely would a free citizen carry out the torture (though it was allowed), considering such action
degrading. Instead the civic torturer or basanistes (a former slave) would be called upon. The torture was generally carried out in public view.
Roman law did not allow a Master's slave to testify against him. Grecian law allowed a slave's testimony but his word did not carry much weight in
court. During this time, torture could have meant a flogging by a 'flagellum' (ox hide straps weighted with lead) or for lesser punishment flogged by a
'scutica' (a whip with thongs of parchment) or 'ferula' (a leather strap). Other torture could include being encased in an 'instrument' similar to the
'Bride of Nuremberg, or put into the 'brazen bull' (a life-sized bull in which a victim was shut inside it's body. A fire would be built below the bull's belly
and by the use of musical pipes within the bull's head, the victims screams of pain would be transformed into 'music'.). And of course, we can't forget
the Roman gladiatorial contests.