stauros - upright pole

Brian Sullivan navillusbpi at primus.com.au
Wed Jan 5 09:42:59 EST 2000


Greetings to all

Without entering the translation debate of staurus as cross  and/or stake, 
I would like to  develop a comment of  Ken Johnson made on this thread:

“A cross to me was a simple stake with a cross piece used to further the 
anquish of the experience of crucifixion. Just being tied to a stake would 
not be much of a suffering experience, unless one lit a fire or 
something.”

Joe Zias, in his article Crucifixion in Antiquity (available online 
http://www.centuryone.com/crucifixion2.html) points out that “If … the 
victims are tied with their hands extended over their heads and left 
hanging, death can occur within an hour or, in minutes if the victims legs 
are nailed so that he cannot use his arms to elevate the body to exhale. 
For exhaling to occur in a normal manner two sets of muscles are needed, 
the diaphragm and. the intercostalis muscles between the ribs. With the 
victims being suspended by their arms directly over their heads, these sets 
of muscles cannot function properly which results in the victims inability 
to exhale and results in asphyxiation.” The article noted: “Eyewitness 
accounts by prisoners of war in Dacchu during WWII reported that victims 
suspended from beams by their wrist, which were tied, expired within ten 
minutes if their feet were weighted or tied down and within one hour if 
their feet were unweighted and the victim was able to raise and lower 
himself to permit respiration. Death in this manner, which is one form of 
crucifixion,  was the result of suffocation."
[For those interested, the physiological suffering of crucifixion on the 
cross are also excellently reviewed, demonstrating that hypovolenic shock 
and not asphyxiation, is the case of death by crucifixion with outstretched 
arms tied to a cross.]

My point is that whatever the instrument of crucifixion, crucifixion on a 
pole was also a death of extreme suffering. I would very much like to know 
Mr. Zias observations on the discussion.

I found much of this discussion highly informative and very much 
appreciated the good netiquette of all participants, and would like to take 
the opportunity to thank all participants who gave input on this thread. 
Having just returned from holidays I hope the delay of this  late 
additional comment is acceptable but  I thought the above may be of 
interest and hope  it not thought to be too much off topic.

Again, thankyou to all


Brian Sullivan
navillusbpi at primus.com.au



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