The crucifixion of our Lord took place at a location known as “The Place of the Skull” (Greek, Hebrew, and Latin). Crucifixion was probably the most horrible form of capital punishment ever devised by man. It appears to have originated with the Persians (c. 522 B.C.). Later, it was employed by the Greeks. Following the destruction of Tyre, Alexander the Great crucified 2,000 men of military age. The Jews even used crucifixion on occasion. Alexander Jannaeus (103-76 B.C.) crucified 800 Pharisees who had been involved in a revolt. But the Romans were most noted for the practice. In 71 B.C., following a slave revolt in Rome, 6,000 recaptured slaves were crucified on the Appian Way leading to the city.
The prospective crucifixion victim, as a rule, was first subjected to scourging, i.e., a beating with a three-thong whip (fashioned of plaited leather, and studded with bone and metal). The victim was then stripped naked and then was secured with leather ties. He was then beaten from his upper back to the lower extremities of his legs. The flesh was flayed from the muscle. Eventually muscle could he shredded from the bone. The bones of the back, including the spinal column might well be exposed in a bloody mass. In an article which appeared a few years back in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. W. Edwards wrote:
“The severe scourging, with its intense pain and appreciable blood loss, most probably left Jesus in a pre-shock state. Moreover, hematidosis had rendered his skin particularly tender. The physical and mental abuse meted out by the Jews and the Romans, as well as the lack of food, water, and sleep, also contributed to his generally weakened state. Therefore, even before the actual crucifixion, Jesus’ physical condition was at least serious and possibly critical”
Some scholars believe that the victim was forced to carry, only the upper crossbar (which weighed about 125 pounds) to the place of torture. It is little wonder that the Lord required assistance in carrying the beam (Luke 23:26). At the death site, the upright post might have been secured in the ground already, awaiting the attachment of the crossbar, the criminal would be made to lie upon the ground, with the crossbeam under his upper back. The arms were then attached by nails. The nails(spikes) were driven through the wrists, since the palm tissue “cannot bear the weight” of the body, The Greek term rendered “hands” (cheiras, – (John. 20:27) can also mean “arms.” The feet were nailed also. In 1968 the first remains of a crucified man were discovered in Jerusalem. A seven-inch spike was wedged through a young man’s heels.
The actual cause of death was the loss of blood volume and the inability to breathe due to the extension of the body. The victim, unable to support his body so as to inhale/exhale easily, eventually suffocated; he usually died within 36 hours, though he could survive for days.Think about that – and yet Jesus lived only 6 hours. And He did this for everyone who would believe on Him