I thought this was on NCD and was looking for Saddam
So what was the punishment in roman times if not prison? I would get either a fine, death, amputation or other kind of eye-for-an-eye?
Fines would’ve been most common, with corporal punishment (whippings or beatings) or various forms of exile following closely. If you weren’t a citizen, you could be condemned to involuntary servitude for a set time, or enslaved for life if your offence was severe enough.
Amputation and other forms of mutilation were regarded by the Roman Empire (at least before the 4th century AD) as morally repugnant, at least as a formalized punishment.
Don’t forget crucifixion.
Execution was somewhat rarer, and there were a number of different ways to be executed, some quite, uh, interesting. Crucifixion was forbidden for citizens, though - a good, clean beheading was your usual fate!
