The horrifying tale of the “most painful torture device inventor” who fell victim to it
Numerous graphic and creative ways to inflict agony and death upon others throughout history, such as the notorious guillotine, being skinned alive, and other similar horrific tortures, serve as a reminder of the dark and vicious sides of human nature. The Brazen Bull is one of these gory creations that sticks out for its sheer cruelty and cleverness. This torture apparatus, which is said to have originated in Ancient Greece in the sixth century BC, is nevertheless a horrifying example of the depths of human depravity. The Brazen Bull was a machine meant to cause unspeakable agony, not only a means of torture.
It was made to resemble a hollow bronze bull, with a trapdoor in the belly and pipes in the snout that let victims go inside, according to The Mirror. Once inside and sealed, the unhappy prisoner might be burned alive by lighting a fire under the bull. Their anguished cries would resound through the pipes as the flames engulfed them, emerging as unsettling bull-like noises, a menacing sound of cruelty and agony.
Perilaus of Athens is said to have invented this incredibly terrible apparatus; nonetheless, his horrible destiny eclipsed his clever invention.
According to legend, the creator gave the Brazen Bull to Phalaris, the ruler of Akragas, maybe as a favor, an ambition, or a way to get attention. But Perilaus encountered the harsh embrace of his own invention rather than appreciation. The Mirror claims that Phalaris gave Perilaus the command to personally show the device’s capacity for brutality. Unaware of the approaching peril, Perilaus obeyed, locking his doom inside the same tool he had invented.
Those who were burned alive suffered an agonizing death that lasted for as long as ten minutes during their confinement in the bronze cage.
Phalaris spent no money evaluating the new toy’s effectiveness since he was enjoying it in a cruel way. He took great pleasure in seeing his adversaries destroyed within the Brazen Bull. Through his preferred method of torture, Phalaris’s reign of terror persisted even after Telemachus overthrew him. However, by a strange turn of events, the despot was overthrown and thrown into the Brazen Bull in 554 BC.
The Brazen Bull’s heritage transcends its original architects and is carried forth from empire to empire. Taken by the Carthaginians and then used by the Romans, it turned into a representation of might and fear.
The Brazen Bull is still a horrifying testimony and a terrifying reminder of the horrors carried out in the name of dominance and power in historical accounts.
