The Roman Candle — Was It Used to Burn Christians Alive?
Some historians have recently been casting doubt on the narrative of Christian persecution
“Covered with the skins of beasts, [the Christians] 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.” — Tacitus, Annals 15.44
The Roman Candle is the name of a firework that originated in China. It ejects exploding shells into the air and then launches a star out of a tube and into the sky. The Roman Candle comes in both big and small sizes and is banned in many U.S. states due to its danger and explosiveness.
But what few know is the Roman Candle was also a horrible execution method, particularly used by the Roman Emperor Nero. According to All That’s Interesting, this particularly painful, gruesome, and inhumane form of execution functions similarly to the firework itself. Someone would be tied to a stake, smeared with pitch and oil, and then burned to death, starting from the feet and up to the head.
The victim would die very slowly since the lighting started at the feet. The victims would often be used as decorative lights for some of Nero’s celebrations and events during night time.
