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.