Torture In The Middle Ages

Forms of Medieval Torture Torture first appeared within the Roman Empire, around 530 AD. This came in the earlier years of the Middle Ages, otherwise known as the medieval era, and soon characterized the epoch as it was prevalent at the time all throughout Europe. Although various punishments of torture were executed for different crimes and classes that existed within medieval society, the most popular types of punishments were those of humiliation, mutilation, and burning in some form. Humiliation devices and techniques, which left the victim socially isolated, often involved the public in some way. The Judas Cradle, for example, forced an individual to sit on a wooden pyramid, almost always stark naked — to add to the shame — and left for several hours or days with their limbs tied. Flagellation, punishment by whipping, was also a favorite. This technique was regularly performed in a place of communion and involved tying the offender's wrists

Of course, there was burning alive, killing the victim. However, the Brazen Bull was a Greek torture device that literally roasted its victims and converted their screams into the bellowings of a bull. Before the door was locked, a criminal was ordered to enter, where a fire was lit underneath. The Lead Sprinkler was also commonly used by pouring molten into one end and letting it seep through the small holes in the other. It was not rare to hear of molten being poured into the eyes sockets either. Feet roasting was also done in the Middle Ages. The person’s feet were locked into stocks, a variation of the Pillory, used for arms and legs only, where hot coals were placed directly underneath, rarely resulting in death. However, most forms of torture through burning lead to death.
There existed a myriad of torture devices throughout medieval period, but many of them used degradation, disfigurement and intense heat, all of which are torture in and of