- Pouring Molten Gold Down the Throat:
The TV show Game of Thrones had a scene where Viserys Targaryen was killed by pouring model gold over his head. However, in real life, the execution technique didn’t involve pouring molten gold over the condemned, but inside them through their mouth.
The earliest record of this happening is from around 90 BC, and the person to suffer this fate was a Roman consul named Manius Aquillius. He was defeated in the First Mithridatic War and then captured by Mithridates VI Eupator, who ten ordered his execution by pouring molten gold down his throat.
This wasn’t the only time this happened, though. In 1599, a Spanish governor in the colonial settlement of Logroño was executed this way by the native Jivaro tribe. The governor had been cheating the natives in their gold trade, which led to a revolt. Around 25,000 Spaniards were massacred, and the governor was captured, and then executed by pouring gold down his throat.
There is also a rumour that Roman general Marcus Licinius Crassus was also executed this way, because he was a rich man and the Parthians chose to kill him that way because of his greed, but this rumous doesn’t have any reliable sources. However, the other two cases are absolutely true. It is also said that this method was much more common than the documented instances of it being practised.
Now comes the question, how did molten gold kill the condemned? Well, the liquid metal would cook, damage and burst your organs, including your elemantary canal as well as your lungs, but it was ultimately the steam that would kill you. Pretty gory way of dying. Continue reading
Comments
Post a Comment