3 ms·
Only empires have slaves or prisoners. And prisoners weren't even a thing until very recently--past couple of centuries. Unless they were royalty, it made zero
by wahern 5y ago
Only empires have slaves or prisoners. And prisoners weren't even a thing until very recently--past couple of centuries. Unless they were royalty, it made zero sense to expend resources imprisoning someone. Rather, you killed them (e.g. criminals), enslaved them (a broad category of practices), or let them go.
- ncmncm 5y agoExile was popular. And often crueler than execution. Romeo wasn't overreacting.
- wahern 5y agoEven the U.S. had exile, though it slowly faded away. By the 1970s it seems to have disappeared as a formal punishment, though people might sometimes get suspended sentences on the condition they leave the state. This happened to a family member of mine--given a suspended sentence (enough for prison, not jail) and admonished by the judge that if he ever returned to the state he'd have to do the time. (Said family member never did return. They weren't a resident there, anyhow, but a resident of an adjacent state.) Today it would be considered unconstitutional, which is a real shame as forcing someone to leave what might be an enabling environment (e.g. running with a bad crowd) is often the best remedy for all involved, particularly the person misbehaving.
- ncmncm 5y agoIt is still used for bad cops. Instead of being prosecuted, they are let go, and hired into the next jurisdiction over.