Slightly gruesome question

[Miss Chicken]

My son and I were talking about cruxification and I mentioned that St Peter was cruxified upside down (because he didn't believe he was worthy of dying the same way as Jesus).

My son asked me if death would be quicker for a person who was crucified upside down (or for that matter less or more painful). Does anyone know the answer to this?

 

[The Great Meech]

Haven't crucified anyone lately, but you'd likely at least get an extra headache from the blood rush to your head.

 

[Pingfah]

I don't know, but I wouldn't have thought so, the heart keeps pumping blood round whichever way up you are.

 

[Squiggy]

I think the actual cause of death from a crucifixion is asphyxiation due to the ribcage being stretched for an extended period of time. If one was upside down the weight of the body below (or in this case above) the ribcage would compress the torso so asphyxiation would not be the killer...but probably exposure which would take longer providing no outside trauma is inflicted upon the crucified.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I think that there a muscles in the legs that help pump blood back up so that it doesn't pool in the feet. However there would be no similar muscles in the brain etc so wouldn't blood pool in the brain and couldn't this cause a stroke?

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm not sure, but I imagine it would take longer. Most crucifixion victims died of asphyxiation because of the way the ribcage expands due to their weight hanging on it. When they wanted to prolong the agony of it, they'd put a block under the victim's feet to support their weight. When they wanted them to die quickly, they'd break the victim's legs.

If you invert all that, it seems like the ribcage would be so expanded, so it would make it easier to breathe, at least.

Edit: Heh. Too slow.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

To be honest, i'd rather not know.

 

[Pingfah]

Ah, but if you are crucified, you'll know which way up to ask for

 

[Holdfast]

Human beings are designed to be right way up. Upside down causes intracranial pressure to rise and eventually you'd black out. If I wanted someone to really suffer, I'd crucify them the right way up, and as Spiff points out, place a block under their feet to prevent them dying of asphyxiation. In a temperate climate, they'd only die of a combination of exposure & starvation after quite a long time (days, for sure).

 

[Holdfast]

Human beings are designed to be right way up. Upside down causes intracranial pressure to rise and eventually you'd black out (well, red out). If I wanted someone to really suffer, I'd crucify them the right way up, and as Spiff points out, place a block under their feet to prevent them dying of asphyxiation. In a temperate climate, they'd only die of a combination of exposure & starvation after quite a long time (days, for sure).

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I don't know why they didn't just bury them alive.

 

[Trekker4747]

I don't know why they didn't just bury them alive.

Not as painful or dramatic.

 

[Holdfast]

I don't know why they didn't just bury them alive.

Crassus could hardly have created the same effect along the Appian Way by burying, now could he? Shock & Awe, Classical Edition.

 

[GreenBlood]

The more blood to the head,the better a person can think. If one is up side down on the cross, I believe the brain would be more active and it would take longer for the person to become unconscious then die.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

Human beings are designed to be right way up. Upside down causes intracranial pressure to rise and eventually you'd black out (well, red out). If I wanted someone to really suffer, I'd crucify them the right way up, and as Spiff points out, place a block under their feet to prevent them dying of asphyxiation. In a temperate climate, they'd only die of a combination of exposure & starvation after quite a long time (days, for sure).

So how long can I safely meditate in a headstand?

 

[JonathonWally]

Human beings are designed to be right way up. Upside down causes intracranial pressure to rise and eventually you'd black out (well, red out). If I wanted someone to really suffer, I'd crucify them the right way up, and as Spiff points out, place a block under their feet to prevent them dying of asphyxiation. In a temperate climate, they'd only die of a combination of exposure & starvation after quite a long time (days, for sure).

So how long can I safely meditate in a headstand?

Until you get woozy, blackout, then fall over.

 

[GreenBlood]

Crucifixtion in a sideways position. Now that's gotta hurt. Imagine that one hand that's pointed skyward having the full weight of the whole body. Ouch.

 

[JonathonWally]

My son and I were talking about cruxification and I mentioned that St Peter was cruxified upside down (because he didn't believe he was worthy of dying the same way as Jesus).

Forgot to say before, Jesus didn't die from being crucified (asphyxiate), he died from the spear to his side.

/nitpick

 

[JustAFriend]

You'll have to go ask the Taliban.... they're the only ones still using this particular form of execution....

 

[Tim]

I'm Spartacus!

Human beings are designed to be right way up. Upside down causes intracranial pressure to rise and eventually you'd black out.

How long between blacking out and death?