Basanos (βάσανος). Torture.

By a decree of Scamandrius of uncertain date it was ordained that no free Athenian could be put to the torture ( De Myst. 43), and this appears to have been the general rule. The evidence of slaves was, however, always taken with torture, and their testimony was not otherwise received. From this circumstance their testimony appears to have been considered of more value than that of freemen. Any person might offer his own slave to be examined by torture, or demand that of his adversary, and the offer or demand was equally called πρόκλησις εἰς βάσανον, “challenge to torture.” The parties interested either superintended the torture themselves, or chose certain persons for this purpose, hence called βασανισταί, who took the evidence of the slaves. The official torturer was called δήμιος or δημόκοινος.

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