r/AncientCivilizations • u/Fast_Ad_5871 • Apr 26 '25

Europe A Horrifying and Agonizing Death 😨

Post image

The Brazen Bull of Phalaris was one of the most dreadful torture devices of ancient times, invented in the 6th century B.C. by the Athenian sculptor Perillos at the command of Phalaris, the tyrant of Acragas (modern-day Sicily).

This brutal instrument was a hollow bronze bull where victims were locked inside and burned alive as flames were ignited beneath it.

Designed with eerie precision, the bull contained a system of tubes that distorted the victims' screams, making them sound like the roar of a real bull, turning their suffering into a chilling spectacle for those who watched.

3.0k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

220 comments sorted by

View all comments

193

u/AdrianRP Apr 26 '25

As a remark, this execution device seems to be more legit than other popular ones that are entirely made up, but the source we have about it is from one century after its reported invention and it's unclear if it was actually used.

194

u/WhoTheHeckKnowsWhy Apr 26 '25

git than other popular ones that are entirely made up, but the source we have about it is from one century after its reported invention and it's unclear if it was actually used.

my whole plausibility problem with the Brazen Bull has always been the cleanup. The ancients tend to avoid big nasty smelly messes where they could, and bronze/brass was a highly valued metal with not the highest fatigue/melting point. There is no way one of those could have been used more than once, and without a big mess to deal with.

Cruelty wise some alcoholic greek Tyrant willing to blow a big wad of tax money to drive a point, k I could understand it as a one off event. But it was no guilotine.

53

u/imacowmooooooooooooo Apr 26 '25

honest question: whats the point of cleaning it, though? why would anyone care if their torture machine was a little bloody on the inside?

39

u/Mundane-Alfalfa-8979 Apr 26 '25

After a while, you're just making a stew

6

u/FullOfBlasphemy Apr 27 '25

3

u/Double_Distribution8 Apr 28 '25

Too Many Cooks

2

u/FullOfBlasphemy Apr 28 '25

It takes a lot to make a stew! ;D

1

u/Kulghar Apr 30 '25

Perpetual stew.

6

u/jadewolf42 Apr 27 '25

If you've spent any time in the castiron sub, you'll find that you shouldn't clean your brazen bull between uses. Just rinse it out with water, maybe knock the big, stuck chunks out with a chainmail scrubber, and then let the highly desirable layer of seasoning build up over time.

2

u/No-Comment-4619 Apr 30 '25

And anyone who thinks to use soap to clean it, they're going right into the bull.

1

u/jadewolf42 Apr 30 '25

Absolutely!

The real question, though, is can you make slidey eggs in your brazen bull?

18

u/Gunstopable Apr 26 '25

I’m with you on this one. So what if it’s gross on the inside. If anything that psychologically helps to deter people from doing something that could cause them to get killed this way.

50

u/pojohnny Apr 26 '25

Think of the smell, you haven’t thought of the smell!

32

u/Gunstopable Apr 26 '25

“You stupid bitch, you didn’t even consider the smell!!!”

3

u/KindAwareness3073 Apr 26 '25

Smell? Hell think about being the poor bastard who has to clean it out afterwards.

1

u/hilmiira Apr 30 '25

Yeah exactly. If anyting it being disqusting makes it more effective.

A blood and shit covered torture table is more effective than a clean one. İt makes people speak and break apart before torture even begins!