October 24, 2008

"Fustuarium" was a Roman military form of execution by clubbing, which was imitated by later armies.

Since laxness on guard duty or desertion could endanger the entire corps and even the Roman state, a slacking soldier was liable to be found as unworthy of the uniform, stripped, and beaten to death with sticks by his comrades, whose trust he had betrayed, as a collective exercise of ultimate discipline (power!) against what could be considered as passive equivalents of high treason.

So cruel. No wonder the Roman Army managed to conquer half of Europe. Singapore? Wait long long. We don't get occupied very good already!

No comments: