Inarus and An Introduction to Flaying

When it comes to ruthless and gruesome punishments utilized during ancient times , flaying has to be one of the top “jaw ,droppers.” In this article, you will meet Inarus (a former Egyptian leader of rebels) and then learn how his captors decided to put an end to his life.

Inarus , 454 BC

Inarus , the Egyptian rebel ruler, who was also referred to as Ienheru and Inaros , left behind a legacy that he had done more harm than good to his people. He came from an old Saite bloodline as the son of a Libyan prince by the name of Psametik. In 460 BC, he led a revolt against the Persians, taking advantage of the assistance of allies in Athens. He was able to defeat the Persian army that was commanded by Akheimenes, forcing the Persians to retreat to Memphis. In the end, the Athenians would taste defeat in 456 when faced with the Persian army guided by Megabyzus.

Despite his revolt, he did not claim a great deal of success, but still managed to make a large impact on Egyptian history. However, he was captured and taken to Susa. After five years had passed, Inarus was impaled on three stakes and flayed alive. In case you didn’t know what ‘flayed’ means , it is the rather ancient practice of removing the skin from the body in such a way that it stays intact.

An Ancient Form of Punishment

When taking a look at history, you will find that Assyrians used to flay the skin from those they captured during combat. Sometimes, the practice was used on a ruler who got “out of line.” The remains are often put on display, such as nailing the skin to a wall of a city. This would stand as a warning to anyone who had any ideas of defying the dominant power at the time.

The act of flaying also appears in the rituals of Aztecs that lived in Mexico. Flayed victims would play a role in the ceremonies that involved human sacrifice, but often took place soon after death.

In medieval Europe, traitors were punished by the searing or cutting of their flesh from the body. This would sometimes serve as a public execution. Similarly, this method of execution also found a place as late as the early 1700s in France. During the early 1900’s, China used their own approach in flaying, which is best described as “death by a thousand cuts.”

Inarus was not the only victim of flaying, as you will find in the article titled “Documented Flaying Victims in History,” which will highlight the use of this punishment. It may come as a surprise that not all documented cases of flaying occurred during ancient times with a reported incident that actually took place in our current century.