Legal Definitions - furca

FURCA

Furca is a Latin word that means "fork." In Roman law, it was an instrument of punishment that had two prongs to which the arms of the offender were tied. In England, furca was used as another name for gallows.

One example of furca being used as a punishment is in the story of the Roman Emperor Valentinian I. He was so angry with a senator that he ordered him to be stripped naked and tied to a furca. The senator was then beaten with rods until he died.

In England, furca was used as another name for gallows. For example, in the 14th century, a man named John de la Pole was sentenced to be hanged on a furca for stealing sheep.

The examples illustrate how furca was used as a punishment in both Roman law and in England. In the first example, the senator was tied to a furca and beaten with rods until he died. In the second example, John de la Pole was sentenced to be hanged on a furca for stealing sheep. Both examples show how furca was used as a means of punishment for crimes committed.