What was the preferred method of execution in Ancient Rome and why?

Question

The slave revolt led by my namesake was almost successful. After their defeta many of the slaves were executed aling the Appian Way. Why there and how? Why was this method used and not another?

Answer 1

Crucifixion. The nailing of the body to the cross put extreme stress on the body. The sheer pain of nails battered through flesh and then supporting the body in the erect position must have been agonising. The strain on the shoulder muscles and on the ankles was horrendous.The slow death by shock and dehydration would have been lingering and painful. Rome had to set an example and it did so on the main route into the City. The slaves came within a whisker of winning their revolt and it was a last ditch effort that won the battle.

Answer 2

You folks are certainly a bloodthirsty lot? :-)

Citizens had many rights, slaves some, if one was say from Naples, well the law was different.

Methods: varied by years but in the time around and after Julius Caesar:

Culleus: murder of a near relative: tossed in a sack and drowned

Decoliatio: decapitation by sword,

Metallum: life in a mine or quary, chained.

Ludi Gladiatorii: the arena

Obicere bestiis: arena with animals

Strangulare: sort of tells you "Furca" is related, they used a prong, forked stake, later for highwaymen: the rope.

The cross (crux) well slaves and lower class for the worst crimes, not common

Deicere e saxo Tarpeio: a slave caught in the act of theft was tossed off the Tarpeio rock (cliff) also for lying in court, treason.
Perjury was rare in Roman courts.

Creamatio: burned as for arsonists

Fustuarium, 'cudgelling to death,' a military punishment, was not carried out bu officers or "law" by sort of a "lynch mob" by ones peers. If a Tribune becomes involved then only the "guilty" men are then selected for whatever punishment and only a fraction of them. They did not go after soldiers who were not at fault: did not desert, run, whatever.

Besides the Romans fought under a "rewards' system:

Most people, citizens hired lawyers, just like today, also Rome seldom confined anyone so many went into "exile" self bansihment, as Rome had no sentence as such.

Roman Law was about as "bad" as is that of the UK and America: lawyers everywhere: there was no real prison system: just that ones loses property, rank, money, is
"allowed" to leave Rome and such. One had to be really a mean sob to get a death sentence.

Answer 3

Dougietrotter has nailed this one.

The "preferred" execution method varied according to your crime and your social status. The Romans were very creative though.

It was common for criminals to be killed in the amphitheatre by all sorts of methods (recorded are killed and eaten by wild animals, combat, torture, burning). The Romans were very fond of playing out mythological stories in the amphitheatre and there is one record of a woman being killed by being forced to have sex with a bull (playing out the story of Zeus and Europa).

Slaves, particularly troublesome people or heinous crimes were rewarded with crucifixion. The Spartacus revolt lead to these being carried out down the Appian Way as an example to all those who were visiting Rome that revolt would not be tolerated.

There is also a story that Nero used to use Christians as candles by burning them during some of his dinner parties.

Answer 4

The supposed method of execution was crucifixion. The slaves were tied or nailed by their hands to wooden crosses. Death is agonizingly slow and comes by either suffocation or exhaustion. The weight of their bodies pulled down on the arms, making breathing impossible. The victim had to pull themselves up with their arms alone, breath in, and fall back down again.
The Appian Way was chosen because it was a main road, used by thousands of people. Seeing thousands of crosses with rotting slaves hanging from them doesn't exactly inspire revolution.

Answer 5

Crucifixion, this is from wiki.

"The goal of Roman crucifixion was not just to kill the criminal, but also to mutilate and dishonour the body of the condemned. In ancient tradition, an honourable death required burial; leaving a body on the cross, so as to mutilate it and prevent its burial, was a grave dishonour for the victim."

However, I've read a bit more and they had some funky way to execute. Did you know that to "decimate" meant to remove 1/10th? Not to eliminate completely. If a legion was to be decimated, that meant that 1 in 10 legionnaire would be beaten to death by a large wooden mallot.

Answer 6

It mattered what class you were.

Common criminals and christians were executed in the amphitheatre by being eaten by animals, etc.

Slaves were usually crucificed.

The aristocracy were usually given the opportunity to commit suicide either by falling on their swords or by opening their veins (ie. slitting their wrists in a hot bath).

Soldiers who lost a battle due to perceived cowardice were usually despatched by decimation. This involved the soldiers standing along a cliff face and then every ten or so soldier was pushed over the edge.

Answer 7

Common criminals were tied to posts in the amphitheatres. Wild animals were then let in. The Romans found this most entertaining.
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PS Sorry emiss, don't understand your comment. I'm not pro-foxhunting and the above comment re entertaining was irony.

Answer 8

I believe the Romans used Crucifixion.

Answer 9

Treason was considered a capital offense and crucifixion was the penalty for one convicted of treason unless they were Roman by birth or by adoption and if convicted of treason they would be beheaded.

Answer 10

They forced them to listen to Barry Manilow records till their heads exploded.