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Roman Executions at the Colosseum
There were many different
types of executions in Roman arenas and the Colosseum. Many
were executed as common criminals by crucifixion or "damnatio
ad bestia" (thrown to the wild beasts). The vicious and
cruel Romans delighted in even more novel ways
of executing Christian Martyrs. The
Emperor Nero introduced
twilight executions where hapless Christians were nailed to
the cross and burned alive as torches to light the arena of
the Colosseum. Others were thrown to wild animals.
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
- Crucifixion
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
included the terrible sentence of Crucifixion. The
punishment of crucifixion was chiefly inflicted on slaves
and the worst kind of criminals, including Christians. The
criminal was stripped of his clothes and nailed or bound to
the cross. the whole body weight being supported by the
stretched arms. When nailed to the cross there was a massive
strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders often resulting
in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints and the
pressure on chest made it impossible to take full breaths.
The Romans loved novelty and Saint Peter was crucified
upside down during the rule of the Roman Emperor Nero.
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
- Roman Citizens
No Roman citizen could be
sentenced to crucifixion. Roman Citizens were not crucified
(Roman Crucifixion), they were beheaded. This explains why,
despite being found guilty of the same crime, St. Paul and
St. Peter faced different fates. St. Paul was beheaded
because he was a Roman Citizen. St. Peter who was not a
Roman citizen, was crucified.
Schedule of the Roman Executions at the Colosseum
The Roman Executions at the
Colosseum all ran to a strict schedule, the Gladiators were
the main events and 'performed in the late afternoon and
early evening. In the morning there were various shows
featuring the hunting of wild animals. But during the noon
break, and at other times, the arena served as a place of
dramatic public execution, including damnatio ad bestias or
obiectio feris which meant throwing people to the beasts.
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
- Thrown to the Beasts
Throwing victims to the
wild animals was a familiar form of execution. This form of
execution was possibly started by the
Emperor
Augustus who had a pillory erected in the Forum which
collapsed and dropped the victim, a man called Selurus into
a cage of wild animals.
The idea was then used in more
spectacular fashions and men women and even children,
sentenced ad bestias, were thrown to the wild animals in the
arena.
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
- Torture first
The Roman Executions at the Colosseum
were sometimes preceded by the most terrible forms of
torture. Victims were racked till their bones were out of
joint, and others hung up by their hands to hooks, with
weights fastened to their feet.
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
The Roman Executions at the Colosseum
included other forms such as:
Being burnt alive *** Being bound by the feet to the
tails of wild horses and dragged to death *** Being
torn to pieces by wild beasts *** Beaten to death *** Burned with plates of red-hot
iron
Roman Executions at the Colosseum
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