What was the main cause of death by crucifixion?

Answer 1

The main cause of death by crucifixion was asphyxiation.

The condemned man could try to support himself on his feet as long as possible, allowing him to breathe, but when this became too painful or too tiring he would hang from his arms, but this prevented him from breathing. Eventually, the victim would no longer be able to take his weight on his feet, thus dying of asphyxiation. When the Romans wanted to speed death up for some reason, as in John's Gospel, they would break the victim's legs, making it impossible for him to take his weight on his feet.

Answer 2

Crucifixion had many variants, usually its victims were bound to a cross buck which was firmly attached to a pole, then raised and stretched out (much like a rack), having their feet nailed to the bottom of the support pole. Over time the muscles and tendons attached to bone would fail to support the weight of the torso. The event could last for days, The torture was intended to be both painful and humiliating as most were stripped bare of any clothing, being exposed bare skin. Torture was a spectacle for all to witness should they consider crossing Roman rule. Those who did not die of asphyxiation, were further tortured by other cruel means. As an example, Jesus Christ was stabbed through the side to puncture his lungs.

Tacticus speaks of other cruel means of punishment being employed against Christians.

From the English translation of Tacticus 15:44.....

Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judæa, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.

Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired.

Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed.

From Cicero ... Fifth book second pleading ....

But what shall be said if he named Lucius Pretius, a Roman knight, who was at that time living in Sicily as a trader, as a man who would vouch for him? Was it a very great undertaking to send letters to Panormus? to keep the man? to detain him in prison, confined in the custody of your dear friends the Mamertines, till Pretius came from Panormus? Did he know the man? Then you might remit some part of the extreme punishment.

Did he not know him? Then, if you thought fit, you might establish this law for all people, that whoever was not known to you, and could not produce a rich man to vouch for him, even though he were a Roman citizen, was still to be crucified. 66. [169]

But why need I say more about Gavius? as if you were hostile to Gavius, and not rather an enemy to the name and class of citizens, and to all their rights. You were not, I say, an enemy to the individual, but to the common cause of liberty. For what was your object in ordering the Mamertines, when, according to their regular custom and usage, they had erected the cross behind the city in the Pompeian road, to place it where it looked towards the strait; and in adding, what you can by no means deny, what you said openly in the hearing of every one, that you chose that place in order that the man who said that he was a Roman citizen, might be able from his cross to behold Italy and to look towards his own home? And accordingly, O judges, that cross, for the first time since the foundation of Messana, was erected in that place. A spot commanding a view of Italy was picked out by that man, for the express purpose that the wretched man who was dying in agony and torture might see that the rights of liberty and of slavery were only separated by a very narrow strait, and that Italy might behold her son murdered by the most miserable and most painful punishment appropriate to slaves alone. [170]

It is a crime to bind a Roman citizen; to scourge him is a wickedness; to put him to death is almost parricide. What shall I say of crucifying him? So guilty an action cannot by any possibility be adequately expressed by any name bad enough for it. Yet with all this that man was not content. "Let him behold his country," said he; "let him die within sight of laws and liberty." It was not Gavius, it was not one individual, I know not whom,-it was not one Roman citizen,-it was the common cause of freedom and citizenship that you exposed to that torture and nailed on that cross. But now consider the audacity of the man. Do not you think that he was indignant that be could not erect that cross for Roman citizens in the forum, in the comitium, in the very rostra? For the place in his province which was the most like those places in celebrity, and the nearest to them in point of distance, he did select. He chose that monument of his wickedness and audacity to be in the sight of Italy, in the very vestibule of Sicily, within sight of all passers-by as they sailed to and fro. 67. [171]

From these ancient writings we learn that the use of crucifixion was a most cruel form of punishment, one not intended for Roman citizens, but one intended to curb or dissuade such actions as insurrection or sedition or rebellion against Rome.

ANOTHER ANSWER:

Excruciatingly.

Answer 3

Crucifixion could be applied in a couple of different ways, resulting in a slow death or a rapid death. Likely causes of death could include shock, blood loss and suffocation- hanging without a foot support makes it difficult to breathe.

Answer 4

suffocation