The penal history of ancient Rome can be described as breathtaking, especially when it comes to the seriousness of the crime, which shows amazing imagination and cruelty. Among them, the punishment for the crime of patricide is even more jaw-dropping.
In ancient Roman society, the family was seen as the basic unit of society, and family authority was supreme. Therefore, patricide is seen as a great challenge to social order and authority, a very serious crime that must be severely punished. The ancient Romans, on the other hand, opted for a highly dramatic and symbolic form of punishment: the punishment of sinking to the bottom, also known as the "punishment of the sack".
In this punishment, the offender is placed in a sewn sack along with various animals such as snakes, monkeys, dogs, roosters and even fish, etc., and then thrown into the water. Each animal represents a specific symbolism, such as the monkey for madness, the rooster for violence, the dog for meanness, and the fish for lust. This kind of punishment is not only the physical torture of the criminal, but also the destruction and punishment of the soul.
The origins of this punishment can be traced back to the time of the ancient Roman monarchs and was initially carried out as a result of the blasphemy of a priest. Over time, this punishment evolved into a special form of punishment for patricide. The Roman rulers continued to add new elements and symbolism to this punishment, making it a complete ritual of punishment full of drama and ritual.
It is worth mentioning that although this punishment has been carried out for hundreds of years in history, it was not officially abolished until 1734. This shows how seriously and resolutely the ancient Roman society attached great importance to the severe punishment of patricide and the maintenance of family authority.
Overall, the punishment of sinking to the bottom of the water in ancient Rome was a highly symbolic and cruel form of punishment, reflecting the high importance that ancient Roman society attached to family and authority, as well as the rigor of social order and moral norms at that time. The historical evolution and implementation of this form of punishment sheds light on the culture and legal system of ancient Roman society, as well as a deeper understanding of the imagination and cruelty of human punishment.