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A Concise and Shocking History of Crucifixion
An arcane form of punishment that had a thousand-year run
When modern people hear the word crucifixion they immediately think of Jesus Christ. He was the most famous person to be crucified by far and his death turned an instrument of violent capital punishment into a religious symbol. For medieval people, it would have been the same as adorning your churches with a gallows or a guillotine. A morbid thought to be sure but the cross, the instrument of crucifixion, was a morbid gibbet.
Despite our modern connotations dominated by Christianity, crucifixion was a common form of punishment that had a very long run in the ancient world. Tens of thousands of people were crucified throughout history by various regimes and rulers over a period that spanned a thousand years.
Who practiced crucifixion?
Crucifixion as a punishment was widespread in the ancient world. It was a cheap, effective, and cruel punishment that served as a powerful deterrent. Crucifixion was used extensively by the Persians, Romans, Carthaginians, and Macedonians. The practice comes onto the scene prominently beginning in the 6th century BCE and continues until the 4th century CE.
