I HEREBY WAIVE MY
HUMAN DIGNITY
Instead of being burned as a witch, I want to live wild beasts
to be thrown out to eat.
Crematio (in Tertull. de an. 1, 33 vivicomburium) is a type of capital punishment known to the Romans since ancient times. In republican times it is mentioned as a punishment for political crimes, namely treason against the plebs, Liv. III 53. Diode. XII 25th Val. Max. VI 3, 2nd Zonar. VII 17. Moreover, it was probably provided in the twelve tablets as a punishment for willful arson, Gai. digital [1701] XLVII 9, 9. Cf. - partially deviating - Voigt XII Tafeln I 488. Guardian De crim. incend. 10-30 Rein Crim.-R. i.e. Roman 766. 767. 914. Geib Lehrb. i.e. German. penalty I 20; also the Art. Incendium. Arbitrary application in the provincial regiment, Cic. ad family X32; ad fifth. fra. I 2, 2.
In the imperial era lead Paul. V 17, 2 and Callistr. digital XLVIII 19, 28 pr. the crematio under the summa supplicia (in addition to decollatio and crux). It's considered the most severe of capital punishment, Paul. V 23, 17, compare with Ulp. digital XLVIII 13, 6pr. tertull. ad martyr. 4 summa ignium poena. It is primarily a death penalty for the slave, and is often only threatened where the free have a lighter sentence, ulp. digital XLVIII 19, 28, 11. Constant. Code Just. IX 11, 1 Constant. Cod. Theod. IX 24, 2 Theod. Nov. XVII 1, 2nd Just. Code Just. IX 13, 1, 4. It is also repeatedly threatened to the free of lower rank, humilior, where the honestior is hit with the simple capital punishment, according to Paul. V 29, 1 (crimes against majesty). ulp. digital XLVIII 19, 28, 11 (arson); it should not be used against the decurio, Ulp. digital XLVIII 19, 9, 11 if This is also to be taken into account where the punishment is threatened in general - regardless of the status of the perpetrator - this happens e.g. B. Ulp. digital XLVIII 13, 6pr. (Sacrilege). ulp. digital XLVIII 19, 8, 2 Paul. digital XLVIII 19, 38pr. (transition to the enemy). diocl. and Maxim. coll. XV 3, 6 (sorcery). Constant. Cod. Theod. IX 22, 1st Cod. Iust. IX 24, 2 (counterfeiting of coins). valentine Theod. & arcad. Cod. Theod. IX 7, 6 (pederasty). arcade & Honor. Cod. Theod. III 12, 3 (Incest) and above
Apart from the Christian trials, relatively little is said about the use of fire punishment, cf. for example Senec. ep. III 3, 3ff. juven. I 156. Zonar. XI 19. Joseph. bell. Iud. VII 450. Apul. met. VI 31. Lucian. peregr. 24. Ammian. Marc. XXII 3, 11. XXVIII 1, 26. XXIX 1, 38. 44. Lebanon. ad Theod. I 641 Reisk. Ioann. chrysost. ad pop. Antioch. Hom. III 6. On the other hand, it appears frequently in the Christian trials, e.g. B. Tac. then XV 44. Euseb. hist. eccl. IV 15, 8ff. Ambros. ep. 40. Acts of Carpus, the Papylus and the Agathonice in Harnack texts and unders. III 435ff. Passio Pionii at Ruinart Act. mart. since p. 150. 151. The Fathers of the Church see a particular injustice in the frequent imposition of this very punishment, Tertullus. ad Scap. 4. lact. de mort. pers. 11. 15. The fact that punishment plays a particularly important role in the legislation of Constantine and his successors is connected with the disappearance of the crucifixion; see the Art. Crux.
Tertullian remarks about the execution of the punishment (apol. 50): ad stipitem revincti – sarmentorum ambitu exurimur, this is confirmed by martyrdom (cf. also Senec. de ira III 3, 6th Hist. Aug. Alex. 35. Lact. de mort. pers. 15) definitely confirmed. Senec. ep. II 2, 5 cannot be concluded. Execution is preceded by flagellation, Joseph. bell. Iud. VII 450. Cf. [1702] Warden De crim. incend. 18-23. Geib Lehrb. i.e. German. Criminal Law I 113. Daude De capit. poen. legal Justin. 52-56. Le Blant Revue Archeol. 1889, 19. 20.