Special types of crucification in Ancient Rome

[Susanna]

I've found a short historical note:

Seneca the Younger wrote: "I see crosses there, not just of one kind but made in many different ways: some have their victims with head down to the ground; some impale their private parts; others stretch out their arms on the gibbet" (Dialogue "To Marcia on Consolation", 6.20.3).


So, there is historical evidence for the "christian cross", T-, X- and Y-shaped crosses and even something that is discussed here more or less - impalement.

Is there any kind of hint regarding the so-called "cornu" or how did they manage impaling at the cross?

 

[Deleted member jedakk]

That is an often-quoted passage from Seneca. Most of the classical texts do not make any distinction between crucifixion on a cross and impalement, although they were quite different. Impalement was practiced by the Turks up into the 15th century at least. The procedure that I've read was to strip the victim and tie his hands behind him. Several men would then lift him up over the top of the pointed wooden stake that had been prepared, position his anus - or perhaps vagina, in the case of a woman - over its point and drop him onto it. As the victim struggled over a period of time which could be hours, the point of the stake would work its way upward through his body, eventually tearing some vital organ or causing internal bleeding that would lead to death. This is utterly horrific in my opinion, not something I find erotic.

"Cornu" is the Latin word for horn. There is a classical reference for its use: "St. Irenæus, in the passage cited above says that the Cross had a fifth extremity, on which the Crucified One was seated. St. Justin calls it a horn, and compares it to the horn of a rhinoceros (Dialogus cum Tryphone, xci)." The source for this quote is http://www.catholic.org/printer_friendly.php?id=3537&section=Encyclopedia



Jedakk

 

[Susanna]

Hi,

thank you very much for the link!

It's quite interesting.

Susanna