Army Punishments
A centurion’s job was to ensure that his century was a capable and effective fighting force as the punishments for failure were brutal. If they lost a battle, the unit would stand in a line and draw lots. If someone drew an unfortunate lot, they would be killed. This was known as ‘decimus’ to the Romans. Decimus was used as a warning to others who had survived, to perform better next time. If someone caused a major offence, such as misbehaving when on guard duty, the person committing the crime could be facing ‘fustuarium’. This meant being beaten, flogged, or stoned to death by other soldiers. If a minor offence occurred, the centurion would be whacked with a 1m long stick, having pay cut or being given extra unpaid duties.
Left: Roman commander with a branch used for whacking. Middle & Right: Whip used for flogging.