Crucify

Crucify refers to the act of executing a person by crucifixion, an ancient method of capital punishment in which the condemned is attached to a cross or stake. The cross could take several shapes, from a simple vertical post to a cross with a crossbeam forming a T-shaped or Latin-cross form. The procedure typically involved scourging, carrying the crossbeam to the site, and affixing the person to the cross, either by nails or bindings. Death usually occurred after several hours, most often by asphyxiation or circulatory collapse, with the exact sequence varying by time and place. The aim was to make the punishment highly public and deter others.

Crucifixion was used by various states around the ancient Mediterranean, notably by Persian, Carthaginian, Greek, and Roman authorities. In the Roman Empire, it was often reserved for slaves, rebels, and the most serious criminals. Our understanding comes from literary sources, inscriptions, and archaeological evidence such as skeletal remains and crucifixion-related artifacts.

One of the most widely known crucifixions is that of Jesus of Nazareth, described in Christian writings and referenced by other ancient authors. For Christians, the event holds theological significance, though historical accounts differ in detail. The term crucify derives from the Latin crucifixio, related to crux or cross.

Today crucifixion is prohibited under international norms, and no modern state practices it as a form of punishment. The word survives in religious discourse, literature, and metaphor to denote severe condemnation or punishment.