8. Poena cullei (penalty of the sack)
Poena cullei in Roman law was reserved for parricide. The criminal was placed inside the leather sack, together with several animals, like cocks, monkeys, dogs, cats, or even snakes. The sack was sewn up air tight and thrown in a river. As oxygen was running out, animals would panic, inflicting grievous (and very painful) injuries to the victim. The punishment was revived in medieval Germany, but instead of leather, a linen sack was used, leading to the victim quickly drowning.
