A cura di @GiMa.

Rado Umbres spiega sul suo blog perché la decapitazione era, e in parte rimane, il metodo di uccisione pubblica tra i più famosi nel corso della storia.

A simple explanation would start from physiological affordance. Decapitation guarantees certain death with a simple and quick procedure, provided someone has the skill and will to perform it. But other methods are no less fail-proof while being less messy or violent. Hanging or drowning come to mind, or inflicting mortal wounds by knife or bullet. So was beheading just an epiphenomena of a historical era the appearance of centralised states with their civilisation, restraint, and penal mentality as suggested Norbert Elias and Michel Foucault? I think there may be another intrinsic reason to choose beheading.

Immagine da Wikimedia.