The Brazen Bull (Worst Punishment in the History of Mankind) - Summary

Summary

Here is a concise summary of the text:

**The Brazen Bull: An Ancient Instrument of Torture**

* **Origin**: Created in ancient Greece (c. 570-554 BC) by inventor Perillos of Athens, funded by Phalaris, the tyrant of Acragas.
* **Method**: Victims were placed inside a bronze bull statue, which was then heated from below, roasting them alive. Specially designed pipes amplified the victim's screams to sound like a bellowing bull.
* **Notable Victims**:
+ Possibly Perillos himself (by Phalaris' hand).
+ Phalaris (later, in his own bull).
+ Christian martyrs, including Saint Eustace and his family (as per Christian sources, 2nd century AD).
* **Legacy**: Stories of the Brazen Bull have been passed down through the ages, with manuscripts still readable today. However, the historicity of some accounts is disputed.

Facts

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**Historical Facts**

1. The Brazen Bull was an instrument of torture created by the ancient Greeks.
2. It was also known as the Bronze Bull or the Sicilian Bull.
3. The Brazen Bull's existence is documented in the "Bibliotheca Historica" (Historical Library).
4. The Bibliotheca Historica was written by ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus.
5. The Brazen Bull was invented by Perillos of Athens between 570 and 554 BC.

**Functionality and Use**

6. The Brazen Bull was a bronze statue of a bull with an opening for a person to enter.
7. A fire was lit under the bull, slowly roasting the person inside to death.
8. The bull was designed with pipes to distort the victim's screams, making it sound like a bull's bellows.
9. Smoke and incense were released through the bull's nose to mask the smell of burning flesh.
10. The remains of the victim were sometimes turned into bracelets.

**Notable Associated Individuals**

11. Perillos of Athens, the inventor, was either killed by being tested in his own device or pushed off a cliff by Phalaris.
12. Phalaris, the Tyrant of Acragas, commissioned the Brazen Bull, but some sources dispute the extent of his cruelty.
13. Phalaris was eventually killed inside the Brazen Bull, according to some accounts.
14. Saint Eustace, a Christian martyr, was allegedly killed in a Brazen Bull in the 2nd century AD.
15. Emperor Hadrian was said to have ordered the execution of Saint Eustace and his family using the Brazen Bull.

**Preservation of History**

16. Many original manuscripts detailing the history of the Brazen Bull are missing or in fragments.
17. Christian sources from the 1800s describe the martyrdom of Saint Eustace and others via the Brazen Bull.
18. Most serious historians find the stories surrounding the Brazen Bull's use and Christian martyrs to be hard to verify.