Crucifixa Est: Romana

Crucifixion in the Roman world was considered the servile supplicium (the slaves’ punishment) and was reserved for the most serious crimes: treason, rebellion, piracy, and sedition. While historical records emphasize male victims, women were not legally exempt.

Junia felt a cold shiver. She had come to mock, to see the "superstition" crushed under the heel of the eagle. Instead, she felt the foundations of her own pride crumbling. The Roman world was built on the strength of the sword and the permanence of stone, yet Marcella looked more permanent than the marble columns of the Forum. romana crucifixa est

Some modern interpretations or specific regional devotionals may use variations of this Latin phrasing to refer to the 14th Station of the Cross Crucifixion in the Roman world was considered the