"Assad's forces detained me, my four siblings and other men in the village. The former, stemming from Elizabethan England, is based on claims the Tower of London contained a Rats Dungeon wherein a cell blow high-water mark would draw in rats from the River Thames and victims would have fleshtorn from the arms and legs. The Assyrian Empire originally began as a small city-state under the Akkadian Empire, which dominated Mesopotamia from 2334 - 2154 BCE. Should the victim fall asleep or allow their head to droop, then the sharp prongs would begin to pierce their throat and neck. The Breast Ripper, also known as the Iron Spider, was an instrument of torture during the latter years of the Middle Ages. The people of a conquered nation would be spread about the kingdom, living alongside of people from foreign lands instead of their own countrymen to keep them packing together and staging a revolt. Although people think that torture is an effective method, because of Applebaum's successful use of logos, diction . The Worst Ways to Die: Torture Practices of the Ancient World The cutting off of feet, lips and noses, blinding, gutting and the ripping out of the heart were all standard punishments in this corner of the ancient world (Hamblin). Nourished by the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the cities of Mesopotamia Greek for "the land between two rivers"flourished from the 20th century to the end of the seventh century B.C.E. Murderers were handed over to the victims family, who were free to do with them as they willed. 11 tortures from the Middle Ages that were reserved for women Insulted, humiliated, beaten, chased away, tortured Such is the fate of the "weaker sex" throughout history. The Church used torture to force others to convert to Christianity and because the Church used torture, government authorities used the same means too. The convicted would be taken to a public stage and tied on the floor. Jung provides some examples of this triumphant rhetoric. The carvings show that the actual flaying process might begin at various places on the body, such as at the crus (lower leg), the thighs, or the buttocks. nQt}MA0alSx k&^>0|>_',G! HyTSwoc [5laQIBHADED2mtFOE.c}088GNg9w '0 Jb 434 0 obj<> endobj Appearing also in Malay history and culture, it has been contended the Siamese employed sprouts from the Nipah palm in an identical fashion to bamboo torture during the 1821 invasion of Kedah. The Ancient Assyrians Flayed Their Enemies To Frighten Them Stone carvings from the time of ancient Assyria around 800 B.C.E. Using humans are the base substance akin to the wax foundations of a candle, these victims were tied to stakes in the imperial garden for the amusement of the deranged Emperor. [1] Hypothermia is possible, as skin provides natural insulation and is essential for maintaining body temperature. Attracting bugs and vermin, whilst also inducing diarrhea to lure additional parasites, the victim would be gradually consumed by the animals as they fed upon them. Although today generally outlawed (at least in the Western world; regarded as a barbaric deed) torture was once regarded as a righteous and just treatment in response to a criminal outrage. Originally described in Plutarchs Life of Artaxerxes II, the first recorded, if challenged, use of scaphism was against a Persian soldier named Mithridates in 401 BCE. As with all human endeavors, we gradually perfected the art of torture over the centuries, refining the necessary tools to inflict the greatest possible pain upon our unfortunate victims. 11 tortures from the Middle Ages that were reserved for women Wikimedia Commons. The victims had mainly their faces flayed off, while they were still alive. The fragment above is part of the Stele of Vultures. December 23, 2019, 10:09 am, by The captives I have killed by the sword and flung on the dung heap. I don't know where he is from, nor who he is. }?9{we#5SS"&~j[}mwD { 4A6*({[OUq.-1!>4?izc^(a7-=HkN{i,J~WnxjWwcON>Egjmd.pC =r*5o@/g e_?+\ VO7o:\~{[eWirG7a{8Nx?= 9^+:2Z If it pleases you, do what you will!. The sketch is from a wall relief depicting the Assyrians torturing their captives. In the past, rulers also included these extra elements of punishment to turn executions into spectacles. The boot. Executions have often served as a kind of revenge, a way of inflicting pain and mental torture on the convict. It had an iron-capped ram that swung from chains, letting it crush its way through enemy walls like never before. One Assyrian king recorded sparing some of the people he invaded but only after they shamelessly humbled themselves before him. In the ancient Far East, where there were large states peopled by many different ethnicities, leaders demonstrated their might by inventing ingenious new tortures and agonizing methods of execution as a way to keep the population obedient. Diederik Sonoy, an ally of the revolts leader, William of Orange, allegedly used pottery bowls filled with rats to enact the torture and elicit information. wn Their skin was attached to three doors as a warning against robbers of church and state. 4. The former, a bi-pronged fork attached to a belt around the victims neck, unflinchingly secured the angle of the head. It has been suggested, without corroboration, that these candles were used as decorations during formal parties held by Nero. V)gB0iW8#8w8_QQj@&A)/g>'K t;\ $FZUn(4T%)0C&Zi8bxEB;PAom?W= Frequently using oil, tar, or tallow, various cultures and civilizations spanning Europe and Asia are known to have employed boiling as a means of inflicting great pain upon condemned persons. Then the rest would be scattered about the country. Rat torture was first documented in 17th century Europe during the Dutch Revolt, with the technique being used against captured prisoners. If you think you can handle it, then heres a list of ancient torture methods thatll be sure to make your toes curl. updated September 15, 2018, 9:16 pm, The 10 Most Gruesome Ancient Torture Methods, Top 10 Forgotten Princesses Adapted in Comics, 10 Disturbing Photographs Telling Tales of Disaster, The 10 Most Influential Photos of All Time, 10 Most Famous Samurai Warriors in History, Top 10 curiosities about cats in the ancient Egypt, Top 10 Crazy Hoaxes and Conspiracy Theories About Corona Virus, The 10 Most Interesting Super Mario Conspiracy Theories, Top 10 Controversial Boxing Decisions in History, Why do planes crash? The result was one of the strongest armies in the world. But if not, the executioner would proceed with the second act, which is braiding the convicts broken body into another wheel. Centuries later, Tacitus noted Germanic tribes practicing a ritual form of capital punishment, whereby those convicted of cowardice and other shameful vices were buried face down in mud. . The victim would suffer hours of agonizing pain as the rats dig a hole through his body, after which he would inevitably die. The victim would be forced to ingest milk and honey, eventually causing diarrhea. and there were a lot of them. marks the end of the Neo-Assyrian empire, although a last Assyrian king, Ashur-uballit II, attempted to rescue Louvre, Tello (ancient Girsu). Every young man was expected to train as a warrior and be ready to fight. The method was done by tying the victim in a wooden frame and then cutting the flesh in varied, multiple and non-deadly slices. This torture method apparently had a long tradition in Scandinavia and a couple of direct accounts were mentioned in old skaldic poems. This practice, in addition to causing immense suffering, was supposed to represent the spiritual defilement of the individual, with their eternal soul unable to reside in one piece in future lives. . The executioner would then use a large wooden spiked wheel to mutilate the convicts body, starting from his legs. The Stake | Torture Museum - Micro Masterpieces With the practice gradually watered down due to public opposition to its brutality, it was eventually abolished entirely in 1870. This excruciating method has been used throughout history ever since then, and probably before as well. is known as the Neo-Assyrian period, during which the empire reached its zenith. Tortured by the Syrian Bashar al-Assad regime in prison for seven years, Muhlis al-Drubi cannot forget the horrors he experienced, including having boiling water poured over him and reverse. Appearing repeatedly throughout modern popular film, television, and literature, rat torture is an especially cruel method of punishment. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. 0000001205 00000 n She was subsequently executed by decapitation. As a method of both torture and execution, impalement consists of the aggressive penetration of victims by a pole. There are also records of people flayed after death, generally as a means of debasing the corpse of a prominent enemy or criminal, sometimes related to religious beliefs (e.g. In order for the method to work, it had to take place in a swamp or somewhere where the boats could lie exposed to the sun. Before the battle began, people would often be given a chance to surrender. This nasty torture method uses rats to torment the victim by forcing the rodents to gnaw their way into the humans flesh. Unlike immurement, where the victims suffer for days or possibly weeks, those buried alive most commonly die long before dehydration takes effect. Wardah Hajra Here are 20 of the slowest and most painful historical torture methods you would not want to endure: A disputed historical method of inflicting immense pain upon a victim, bamboo torture is a form of punishment wherein bamboo shoots are employed to grow into, and subsequently through, the body of the subjected person. Using this method of torture would require the victim to be stripped and suspended above the device. Eventually, under pressure from Western nations undergoing their own liberalizations of violent punishments, in 1905, as part of widespread revisions of the Chinese penal code, lingchi was formally abolished as a criminal sentence. A Breast Ripper, on display at a torture museum in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Wrttemberg, Germany (c. 15th century). The boot, or 'Spanish boot' as it was sometimes called, was like a rack for the legs which would be placed in tightly fitted iron or wooden boots. Used most commonly as a punishment for crimes against the state, appearing in civilizations and cultures around the world as among the harshest means of capital punishment, contrary to immediate assumptions impalement did not render a swift death. Then, in the third year, they would be allowed to live with their familiesbefore starting the cycle again. Exported by Europeans during the Age of Exploration, this method of torture is documented as occurring as far away as French-controlled Louisiana and in British-controlled India during the 18th century. Both were commonly inscribed with the Latin phrase abiruo I recant: an objective often achieved due to the eventual breaking of the subjects will. Wikimedia Commons. "They hung us up from our wrists to the ceilings. In contrast to common depiction, most crucifixions did not involve the nailing of the victims hands or feet to the cross. 0000001565 00000 n CONTENTS. Using an intricate system of tubes and piping, the screams of the roasting prisoner were transmuted into sounds reminiscent of a raging bull. Syrian Man Reveals Worst Torture Methods Used by the Regime . Reserved, unlike many of the items appearing on this list, exclusively for women, the device was predominantly employed against those persons accused of adultery or abortion. The method was done by breaking the criminals bones and bludgeoning them to death. Torture is unpleasant, as indeed is the intended purpose of the practice. The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) states in its latest report issued today that it has documented 72 torture methods which the Syrian regime continues to practice in its detention centers and military hospitals, calling on the US Congress to pass the Caesar Act to provide accountability after identifying 801 individuals who appeared in The method was reborn during the modern age across Latin America, with its use recorded under the military dictatorships of Brazil, Chile, and Argentina. The passage of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1791, prohibiting cruel and unusual punishments, was a direct response to this wartime practice and an attempt to prevent any further applications in the fledgling nation. 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Evans, Oxford University Press (May 9, 1996), Torture and Democracy, Darius Rejali, Princeton University Press (2007), The Lives They Lived: The Prisoner, Jonathan Mahler, The New York Times (December 25, 2005), The A to Z of Punishment and Torture: From Amputations to Zero Tolerance, Irene Thompson, Book Guild Publishing (2008), The Walled-up Wife: A Casebook, Mircea Elliade and Alan Dundes, University of Wisconsin Press (1996), The Brief History Of The Brazen Bull, John DeVore, Nov 19, 2016.