willowfall
Senator
On the other hand, flaying was exceptional,
I'm not so sure about that.
There is an account of a Mesopotamian king having an opponent "peeled like a grape" and winding up admiring his victim for never uttering a sound.
And then after the siege of Cyprus (1571) the Ottomans (in violation of the surrender agreement) had Marcantonio Bragadin (Venetian commander) flayed alive and had his straw stuffed body hung from the yardarm of a ship and displayed around the Med.
The Aztecs were known to flay their victims and wear the skins for ceremonial purposes.
Was it as common as say crucifixion? No because it undoubtedly took a while and skilled executioners to carry it out without killing the victim too quickly but it does seem to have been used over quite a timespan across multiple cultures.
kisses
willowfall