does someone know how a flagellum looked like exactly ? (and does someone have pictures or drawings or something about it?)
i also once saw some sort of club, stick filled with appears to be nails (with heads up, not with the points). they inflict heavy pain but without harming the victim...
does someone have a picture of that?
tnx!
I would think it to be a flail or scourge. The name at least suggests something other then a stick. It is not difficult to make one, as all you need is a wooden handle and some lengths of leather cord. You can knot the leather, adding small folded rectangles of lead to really hurt.
https://www.google.com/search?q=roman+fl...66&bih=653
The word
flagellum means, literally, "little whip" or "scourge" in English. So it was not a club (
fustus). A Roman flagellum often contained bone, metal or some say, glass bits on the business end of the leather thongs. They were not long like the 18th century nautical "cat o' nine tails". They were shorter thongs, but quite effective. A person who was whipped (scourged) with one might die of shock, blood loss or infection following such a treatment. Not a great afternoon for the victim.