Bizarre Punishments Used by the Romans

The Roman Colosseum was not just the site of gladiatorial bouts where two men battled one another for death and glory. Man and beast did not always battle one another on simple terms in the Colosseum; many of the spectacles that went on were simple orgies of blood and violence that, even if it were simply film and special effects, would shock and terrify many modern horror-film enthusiasts. Clive Barker's Pinhead may have very well found himself aghast at some of the practices carried out on prisoners in Rome - especially adulterers and dissidents.

Although the first image that comes to mind in the Colosseum is that of gladiators, these were actually the minority of the fights. The final, grand spectacle that everyone fawned and waited on indeed, but they needed to be built up by the Master of the Games. Therefore, they were delayed to maximize suspense. In between, audiences were kept content through bedazzling displays of mayhem and carnage.

The Flavian Amphitheater, which it was called, was also the foremost execution center of the city. Rebels, thieves, traitors, they were all dragged into the Colosseum, where they were dispatched for public display. Although they were all equally guilty of any number of crimes, the exact punishment extolled involved less of a uniformed judicial code and more what was needed by the Master of the Games. When it came to an individual's sentencing, there was no specific "game" they were condemned to, merely a simple sentence of "death in the arena".

This may sound potentially more appealing than a simple scourging and beheading - it gives the idea that there's hope for escape. Perhaps, by fighting off the gladiators meant to dispatch the prisoner, perhaps if the animals could be defeated, the prisoner would have their freedom. The truth of the matter was far different, however. There was no hope of escape - if by some miracle the prisoner was able to fight through the uphill battle laid before them, they would find themselves quickly overwhelmed with whatever other sadistic ideas the Master of the Games could come up with.

That is, if a simple gladiator with a sword to the gut wasn't deemed sufficient.

The punishments were a sight to behold in and of themselves. In many regards, it could be believed that the draw to these shows of blood were as much the curiosity of what could be thought of next as any real entertainment value from the killing itself.

Here are a few examples of the particularly bizarre punishments.

The Seesaw is seen by modern children as a plaything. It's a rather practical contraption, two children of roughly equal weight sit on either end of the device, and as one's feet touch the ground, they lift off, springing themselves into the air. The other child, meanwhile sinks to the ground on their end of the board, before repeating the process. The most difficult part is usually getting off - where children usually aren't courteous enough to actually ease the fall of the play set once they've stepped off, resulting in a rather rude plummet.

The Romans had a far more interesting application for this seemingly innocent school yard addition. Two condemned prisoners were strapped to either end of the seesaw, and were encouraged to begin the simple game of going up and then down. Once they got a rhythm going, however, the cages of the Colosseum opened, and out came the wild beasts. To a roar of excitement from the crowds, the two prisoners would begin their galloping up and down much faster - as a lion or a bull would be waiting on the descent, waiting to rip the poor prisoner to pieces.

This resulted in a frantic attempt to touch the ground and get back in the air as quickly as possible. Eventually, however, the prisoners would tire, or slip up, and that's when the lion would pounce. Perhaps it was just a foot, or a leg, but the giant cat would grab onto the prisoner and pull. The resistance of bone meant very little - it would pull until something was disjointed and the imminent food could be pulled right off.

Another bizarre punishment was often used to illuminate these seesaw shows - or any other spectacle for that matter. Nero, who personally despised the Christians, needed both a way to dispose of these crazy cultists and light up his shows. Though the Colosseum would not be erected for several more years, he often surrounded the Circus Maximus with crucified Christians - a practice that was later mimicked by other emperors inside the Flavian Amphitheater.

Crucifixion was a slow and terrible process, and none of the afflicted were expected to die in any reasonable amount of time. How was the illumination acquired, one may ask? By simply lighting these crucified Christians on fire.

Ancient sources also tell of ironic pranks played on local miscreants - such as a local jeweler who fake stones, and so was thrown into the arena. Panicked at what was to come, he fainted as the gates were opened - only to reveal a chicken on the other side.

"As this man has practiced deceit, now deceit is practiced on him," the Master of the Games under Emperor Gallenius declared triumphantly as the man was allowed to leave alive.

But there were also far more brutal treatments that awaited the daughters of dissidents and political opponents to the Empire, or adulterers or rapists.

Young women were sometimes tied to stakes or posts. Though donkeys sometimes served this purpose too, for the jeers of the crowd, the foul deed was usually given to man-looking chimpanzees and their violent baboon brethren. People from far across the globe had heard of these spectacles of brutality. As the woman was tied, the ape, be it chimp or baboon, was given increasing levels of alcohol until it was finally drunk.

Having received training in this art, it was then set off to rape the woman tied to the stake. Sometimes the woman would then be executed, other times she would be let go.

Either way - the foul deed was done.

The Romans demanded increasingly violent forms of punishments for its convicted - and young women being raped by baboons seemed to be a feat that was unbeatable for many crowds.

Sources:

Way of the Gladiator - Daniel Mannix
The Mammoth Book of Eyewitness Ancient Rome - Jon E. Lewis
The Twelve Caesars - Seutonius
http://www.mariamilani.com/colosseum/colosseum_capital_punishment.htm
http://www.richeast.org/htwm/Greeks/Romans/mart/persecution.html
http://www.mariamilani.com/colosseum/colosseum.htm
http://www.kurtsaxon.com/those_a_t_d/