Quote:
Originally posted by sadatx
. . . it looks pretty gruesome as far as the scenes where they beat and then crucify Christ. I know Gibson is going for realism but I'm not used to seeing Christ covered in his own blood from head to toe.
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Scourging (flogging; whipping) was an integral part of the crucifixion process - only women, Roman senators, and (non-deserters) soldiers were exempt. Its functions were to intimidate through terror, and also to physically hasten the prisoner on the road to death by way of shock and blood loss. Leather whips using metal balls and bone chips literally ripped the skin to shreds - there's no way to show that realistically without a lot of blood.
Gruesome, but historically accurate.
It was a messy, agonizing way to die.