scaphism

/ˈsæfɪzəm/

Definitions

1. noun

an ancient Persian method of executing people by binding them to a wooden frame resembling a boat, with their head below water and their feet exposed to the sun.

“The brutal method of scaphism was used to punish rebels and nobles during the Achaemenid Empire.”

Synonyms

  • execution
  • torture

Antonyms

  • leniency
  • mercy