Crucifixio

Crucifixio is a term used to describe the practice of crucifixion, an ancient method of execution in which a person is affixed to a cross, pole, or similar frame and left to die. The precise form varied; the victim could be nailed to the cross, or bound, and the cross shape could be a simple stake, a T-shaped cross (crux commissa), a Latin cross (crux immissa), or an X-shaped cross (crux decussata). Death typically occurred from a combination of blood loss, dehydration, exposure, and asphyxiation, and the process could take many hours.

The technique was used in various ancient civilizations and was later developed and employed by the Roman state as a public deterrent, especially for slaves, rebels, and non-citizens. It served not only to execute but to display the punishment to onlookers. The best-known case in later European history is the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, described in Christian scriptures; non-Christian sources from the era also refer to the practice.

Crucifixion declined in the Roman world during late antiquity and was largely abandoned in medieval Europe. In modern times, it is prohibited under international law as a form of cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment, and it is not used by states today. The term has also left a strong cultural imprint, notably in Christian art and symbolism, where the crucifix is a central emblem.