Following the announcement by the U.S. state of Louisiana to issue rulings for "surgical castration" against individuals accused of sexually assaulting young children, the origins and details of this punishment have resurfaced. If Republican Governor Jeff Landry signs it to make it effective, Louisiana will be the first state to implement this law. Judges will have the right to issue surgical castration sentences against those convicted of severe sexual crimes against children under the age of 13. However, this law has brought to mind various methods of torture and execution used in ancient times against the convicted, some of which persisted until the 19th century.
## The Brazen Bull
In ancient Greece and Rome, the Brazen Bull, also known as the Bull of Phalaris, was used as a method to execute those accused of serious crimes such as treason. The Brazen Bull was a hollow statue made of bronze (some sources mention copper) with an opening to insert the condemned inside and small holes designed to hear the victim's cries. Once the condemned was placed inside, the opening would be sealed, and a fire lit beneath the bull, roasting the condemned as the smell of the grilled flesh permeated the area.
Historical references state that Phalaris, the tyrant of Akragas (Agrigento) in Sicily, ordered the sculptor Perillos to create this bull between 570 and 554 BC. Upon presenting the bull to Phalaris, he ordered that Perillos be the first to be executed in it to test its effectiveness.
## Decimation
During the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire, generals imposed harsh punishments on soldiers in hopes of restoring discipline. If soldiers failed to perform their duties and fled from battle due to fear, the generals did not hesitate to enforce the punishment known as decimation. Under this method, soldiers would line up in front of their commander, who would randomly select one out of every ten soldiers, forcing his comrades to kill him, either by beating or stabbing with swords and daggers. This selection process was arbitrary, leading to situations where a fierce soldier in battle could be executed by his fellow troops who had fled. The decimation served to instill terror and fear among the soldiers and significantly contributed to restoring discipline. During the Spartacus Revolution, the Roman leader Marcus Licinius Crassus utilized the decimation method to punish his soldiers and restore discipline. Similarly, Alexander the Great employed this punishment against his soldiers during his campaign against the Persians.
## Execution and Torture by Elephant
Execution by elephant, also known as Gunga Rao, was a method employed in Southeast Asia, particularly in India. Asian elephants were used to crush prisoners or those accused of treason and to dismember them during public torture. According to Indian sources, elephants were trained for long periods to carry out executions and acts of torture by trampling the heads or bodies of the condemned. This method spread throughout India as a symbol of the king's power over his subjects and the wildlife. Many European travelers remarked on the elephant execution and torture methods during their visits to East Asia. This practice persisted until the 18th and 19th centuries before being suppressed by colonial authorities. Historical accounts indicate that ancient Rome and Carthage also employed elephants for executions in dealing with rebellious soldiers. Concurrently, European empires, particularly France during the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the early modern period, used horses for similar executions, tying the limbs of the accused to four horses, each pulling in a different direction, ultimately resulting in the dismemberment of the condemned.
It is noteworthy that the anticipated punishment of surgical castration for child molesters in Louisiana has sparked debates about the feasibility and legality of its enforcement, amid expectations for a final decision.
