I fully agree with your presentation of historical practices during crucifixion in Roman times.
The thread started however with the question :
"How would you make the pre- crucifixion torture as horrific and painful as possible?"
So, my reply concerned my personal preference about my 'ideal' crucifixion fantasy, independently from the historical practices. There is nothing against a good whipping as a warm up, but I prefer long agony crucifixions over pain for pain's sake. Therefore, I would rather avoid inflicting pre crucfixion tortures that would only result into shortening significantly the life of the condemned, once crucified.
Yes, I am sorry Loxuru, I didn't answer your original question.
As far as personal fantasy, my mind changes quite a lot...well it's good to keep changing the fantasy scenario. I think though that I never imagine such ill-treatment that would weaken me to such an extent that I couldn't be fully aware of what is happening once hanging on the cross, I always imagine that I am starkly in possession of all my faculties thus making the crucifixion the worst bit. A sort of slow build-up of horror, humiliation, & pain. That was the big fault with Mel's film in my opinion, the scourging was so bad that the actual crucifixion seemed rather tame & 'easy' in comparison.
In my fantasy the ordeal of mockery, & shame beforehand is perhaps more vivid than the various pains of being beaten about - pain is not that easy to imagine, but ridicule is. I also imagine that I am not too beaten & disfigured (black eyes, lost teeth, etc) once I am led out into the public.
I am not gay & so sodomy or gang rape does not interest me, but the possibility does sometimes occur in my fantasy because I am sure it was commonplace pre-crucifixion ill-treatment. If, as I think was a reality, that a penetrating hooked cornu fixed to the cross was part of the procedure (for both pain, shame, & humiliation) then it would have amused the soldiers & guards to make sure that the victims' anal passage or/& vagina were in a sore & bloody state beforehand.
So basically my own fantasies are more about the fear, the mockery & ridicule, & a fair bit of beating up. To be surrounded by a large company of guards & soldiers in some dark cold dingy hall, to be shoved around by them as they laughed at my obvious fear, then to be punched & kicked as I fell to the ground, eventually to be dragged to my feet & stripped of all my clothing. I would endure coarse comments about my body as they continued to knock me about. As I was being held throughout the night prior to execution, the imaginings of those holding me would range through all manner of intricate nastiness & humiliation. So long as I was fit enough next morning anything went.
I could imagine a hilarious game for all the soldiers & guards surrounding me, one naked & very vulnerable man, was that I am made to masturbate myself into full erection as those crowding round goaded me on with laughter & ribaldry. Not being allowed to come though would cause my erect member to remain desperately up & jutting as the laughing men paraded me around amongst them, my hands held behind me as the shoved me about.
The sight of this might cause arousal in some of the men present & of course they were free to abuse me as they wished, cheered on by their mates.
Afterwards with blood faeces & sperm running down my legs from my agonised anus I would then be dragged to a column & my arms shackled above my head. Now would come the first serious part of the physical punishment.
Two of the strongest men would take leather whips & begin to beat me over my shoulders & buttocks, every blow an agonising searing pain as the whips raise weals on my bare skin. It would never be the flesh-ripping scourges in my imagination as I am sure they caused such trauma that after a few blows the victims would almost pass out - I am told that a single blow with on of those scourges would be not far short of a shotgun wound, that is too much to comprehend!
However having my back & bare buttocks flayed to a sore mass of pain is a bad enough thing to imagine. the weals & raw skinned flesh would later cause me immense agony, first as they place the heavy patibulum across my shoulders, & later when I am desperately raising my exhausted body up on the cross to try to gulp in air.
After they beat me, they unshackled my wrists & I slump down onto the cold floor, slippery with my piss as I had urinated whilst they beat me. I am kicked & told to get up onto my feet again. Once up I am mocked more at my weakness, they knock me around a bit more, kicked & punched in my testicles...ouch! that hurts bad!! Then I guess it is time for them to take me out & hand me over to the execution squad.
I am made to dress completely, my hands are shaking, I am shivering from cold & fear, it is difficult to get my loincloth on & all the rest, the cloth of my chemise as it touches my wounded shoulders hurts. As I struggle to dress the men around me shout in my face to hurry it up, I am terrified & feel extremely lonely!
Then I am taken out to be led to my crucifixion.
As all this has been taking place in the caserma up to when I am led into the streets bearing the crossbeam, I have only encountered men. In the streets I see women for the first time, the humiliation I am to endure a short while later with them watching will be another ratcheting up in the shame I will have to undergo.