patibulum

Patibulum is the horizontal beam of a cross used in ancient Roman crucifixion. The term comes from Latin patibulum, meaning a beam or stake used for hanging. In practice, the patibulum was the part to which a condemned person’s arms were bound or fixed, and it was often carried by the condemned to the site of execution.

In typical crucifixion procedure, the victim would be tied or nailed to the patibulum, which was then transported to the location where a vertical post, the stipes, stood. The patibulum could be affixed to the stipes to form the cross for the execution. The method varied by period and local practice; some arrangements involved a cross-shaped construction completed at the site, while others used a pre-assembled cross.

Cross forms associated with crucifixion varied. A vertical post with a crossbeam attached at or near the top produced a cross with a longer vertical arm (often described in scholarly terms as a Latin cross). In other configurations the horizontal beam ran higher on the post, creating a T-shaped cross. Some accounts also describe simpler forms consisting of a post with the patibulum laid across or attached as a temporary crossbar.

Historical sources from Roman and early Christian contexts, along with archaeological evidence and inscriptions, provide the basis for understanding crucifixion practices, including the role of the patibulum. The term remains primarily of historical and scholarly interest, reflecting the crossbar component used in this ancient method of execution.