Before Christ was sent to be crucified, the Roman soldiers beat Him with this lead-tipped whip, called a flagrum or sometimes a flagellum.

On studying the Shroud of Turin, scientists have determined that the flagrum used to whip Our Lord consisted of three seperate thongs, each ending in a set of two lead balls. These roughly shaped balls added weight to the beating, but also would tear the flesh of the victim. This cruel torture was intended to weaken the person to be crucified to prevent any sort of resistance to the final execution.

This reproduction is a full sized copy based on the sketches of experts who have studied both the Shroud of Turin as well as historical artifacts of the Roman Empire from the time of Christ. The wooden handle measures about 8" long, while the leather thongs are of varying lengths (11", 12", 13"). The multiple lengths of the thongs were designed to prevent the balls from striking each other, thereby causing more damage to the victim. The overall length of the flagrum is about 24".

This second version of a Roman flagellum, although not accurate to the markings on the Shroud, is historically accurate. It is based on ancient carvings at Rome. The three leather thongs are varying lengths, have different sized and number of lead balls. The handle measures about 10" (25cm) long.