Tripalium

A tripalium is an instrument of torture involving three stakes. The subject of the torture would be tied to the tripalium and burnt with fire. The words "travail" and "travel" have their roots in this word,[1] as do cognates in other modern languages.[2][3]

The structure and original use of the tripalium is far from clear; many attempts to explain it appear to be based on nothing more than the word's literal meaning of "three stakes".[4] The oldest known reference is from 582 AD,[4] but the historical record concerning torture in the ancient Roman empire provides far more information about famous cases where it was applied, or the legalities thereof, than about the means of torture.[5] There are classical references to impalement.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Winchester, Simon: The Best Travelers' Tales 2004
  2. ↑ "trabajar". DICCIONARIO DE LA LENGUA ESPAÑOLA - Vigésima segunda edición. REAL ACADEMIA ESPAÑOLA.
  3. ↑ J. Cary Davis (March 1977). ""Trabaculu > Trabajo" the Case for and against". Hispania. 60 (1): 105–108. doi:10.2307/340402. JSTOR 340402.
  4. 1 2 Mark Liberman (July 10, 2007). "Annals of Exoticism". Language Log.
  5. ↑ Dowling, Melissa Barden (2006). Clemency and cruelty in the Roman world. p. 225. ISBN 978-0-472-11515-0. Specific details about the types and duration of torture, however, are surprisingly scarce
  6. ↑ Robinson, OF (2007). "Penal practice and penal policy in ancient Rome": 173 (footnote 92)., citing, among others, 17.3 and 27.19 of the Anecdota (Secret History) of Procopius


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