- Apr 5, 2014
- 25,971
Surprisingly there is not much archaeological evidence of crucifixion and I guess that nails may not have always been available. There is a theory that the cross may have even been an "X", or there may have been many different methods used.
When I studied early Christian history I took a peripheral interest in Roman things. Crucifixion was a common way of disposing of the lowest orders as well as enemies of the state (I guess Jesus was the latter). The exact method probably varied, although it's likely that there would have been a large scaffold people were attached to. There are accounts of about 6,000 simultaneous crucifixions of war enemies, all strung out along a single road. I have no trouble accepting Christ was crucified, especially as it was such a humiliating death that some may have wished to suggest he died otherwise.