18 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

The Worst Torture Device in History “Brazen Bull”

Agrigentum Tyranny today is in the provincial borders of Agrigento in the Sicily Autonomous Region in the southwest of Sicily.

Phalaris (570-549 BC) is the most famous tyrant of the city of Agrigentum. It strengthened its army with mercenaries and expanded it was bordered to include the city of Himera.

It is thought that he made the construction plans of the city and that he constructed the most spectacular city of his time. It is said that the tyrants who came after him follow his path.

Perilaus (Perillos), an Athenian brass casting and palace sculptor bring his new work to Phalaris in to show it.

This is a shiny brass replica of a bull, but much more than just an ordinary statue ..! This hollow bull, made without a face, has a cover on its side. The victim being placed inside this bull and scorched with the heat of the metal until the bull turned red from the burning fire below. In the head of the bull, various pipes designed by Perilaus (Perillos) and some complex tools such as whistles were placed. Thanks to these instruments, the voice of the victim turned into a voice resembling the bellowing of an angry bull.

Brazen bull

The historian Diodorus Siculus wrote that Perilaus said:

“O Phalaris, if you want to punish a man, close him between the bull and light a fire under him, his moans will be thought of the bull’s bellowing, and his cries of pain will give you pleasure as he passes through the pipes in his nostrils. ”

Phalaris must have been very impressed by this narrative of the sculptor, and asks him to show this sound system. When the Perilaus enters the bull, it closes the lid and lights the fire. Thus, he learned the sound system of the invention from its real master.

Fortunately, the great tyrant gets Perilaus out of the bull before he dies. He throws Perilaus, who thinks he will probably get a reward, its jump off the cliff.

Although the number of people Tiran Phalaris killed with this bull is not recorded in historical records, it is obvious that the same invention was very popular in the Roman period.

According to rumors, Phalaris, whose crown was taken away by Telemachus, died by burning in this bull that he ordered.

Herodotus mentions that in ancient Greece, to be fried inside a bull was a well-known torture method. It is understood that torture is used as a form of execution rather than questioning within.

In Christian legends, people who were killed in this way are mentioned.

Related Articles

Gladiators’ ancient hygiene tools on exhibit in Izmir

22 July 2021

22 July 2021

Turkey’s Izmir Archaeological Museum is hosting a different exhibition this month. A bronze strigil is the museum’s guest this month...

The 1000-year Curse of the Croatian King Zvonimir

26 September 2023

26 September 2023

Croatia is a fascinating country that continually rises up people’s must-visit lists thanks to its sparkling Adriatic coastline, 1,244 islands,...

Greek Warrior Relief Found in Bulgaria

2 April 2021

2 April 2021

In Sozopol, on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, a piece of terracotta relief depicting ancient Greek warriors has been discovered....

Excavations in Poland uncover Goth graves filled with ornate jewellery

17 August 2023

17 August 2023

A 2,000-year-old Goth burial site filled with ancient jewels has been discovered in Wda Landscape Park (Wdecki Park Krajobrazowy) near...

The Entire Genome Of 35,000-Year-Old Skull From Romania Sequenced “Peştera Muierii 1”

24 May 2021

24 May 2021

Researchers have successfully sequenced the whole genome from the skull of Peştera Muierii 1, women who lived in today’s Romania...

A well-preserved lion mosaic discovered in the Ancient City of Prusias ad Hypium

16 November 2023

16 November 2023

Archaeologists found a lion mosaic during excavations carried out in the Ancient City of Prusias ad Hypium. Excavations have been...

A Ribat Mosque shares space with the Roman sanctuary dedicated to Sun and Ocean was discovered in Portugal

2 November 2023

2 November 2023

The ruins of a second Islamic ‘ribat’ mosque dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries have been discovered at...

Hoysala temples inch closer towards UNESCO recognition

7 February 2022

7 February 2022

The Indian Union government recently proposed the Somanathapura temple in Mysuru district and Chennakeshava and Hoysaleshwara temples in Belur and...

7,600-year-old child skeleton and a silver ring found in Türkiye’s Domuztepe Mound

12 September 2024

12 September 2024

A child skeleton and a silver ring presumed to be used for babies dating back to 7,600 years ago were...

The Enigmatic Architecture of Sacsayhuaman: The Sacred Stronghold of Massive Stones and Mysteries

14 March 2025

14 March 2025

Sacsayhuaman Fortress, located just outside Cusco, Peru, is one of the most astonishing archaeological complexes in the world. Initiated by...

40 Skeletons in Giant Jars Found in the Corsica Necropolis

16 May 2021

16 May 2021

Archaeologists working on the French island of Corsica discovered around 40 ancient graves where persons were buried inside gigantic jars...

Archaeologists Uncover Elegant Rare Blue Frescoes of an Ancient Sanctuary in Pompeii

10 June 2024

10 June 2024

Archaeologists digging away at ash covering the ancient city of Pompeii have uncovered a room with walls frescoed in an...

A First in Denmark: Rare 4th Century Roman Helmet and Chainmail Found

3 February 2025

3 February 2025

Archaeologists have recently unearthed a massive stockpile of weapons near Hedensted, Denmark, buried 1,500 years ago by an ancient chief....

A 2,000-Year-Old Shoe Discovered in a German Bog

22 June 2021

22 June 2021

Archaeologists discovered a leather shoe that had been lost in a bog for 2,000 years and believe it may have...

Archaeologists in the Tangier Peninsula Discovered Three Ancient Cemeteries, Including a Stone Burial Dating to Around 4,000 Years Ago

17 May 2025

17 May 2025

A significant archaeological discovery in northern Morocco’s Tangier Peninsula, situated just south of the Strait of Gibraltar, has led to...