Rubbing It In: History’s Greatest Flexes and Ownages

20. The Roman Army Forced to Pass Beneath the Yoke

One of the most famous instances of this ritual occurred after the disastrous Roman defeat at the Battle of the Caudine Forks in 321 BC, during the Second Samnite War. Roman consuls whose army was trapped by the Samnites in a mountain pass agreed to surrender. The victorious Samnites, led by Gaius Pontius, humiliated the entire Roman army by forcing it to pass under the yoke. The Samnites had spared their defeated enemies’ lives, but the Romans considered this event deeply shameful, and it had long-lasting repercussions in Roman military culture and memory.

19. A Lapsed Practice’s Lasting Legacy

Over time, as the Roman Republic expanded and later transitioned into the Empire, the practice of sub iugum declined. That was partly due to changing military customs, coupled with a greater emphasis on the outright total conquest of an enemy, as opposed the mere infliction of a ritualistic humiliation of his army.

However, the phrase “to pass under the yoke” remained a powerful metaphor in Roman and later Western literature for submission and disgrace. The ritual encapsulated Rome’s complex relationship with warfare, honor, and power. It was not just about military defeat, but about psychological dominance: it ensured that those who opposed Rome remembered not only their defeat, but also the shame imposed upon them by the victors.

18. The Aptly-Named “Blood Shedder”

Caliph al-Saffah, whose name means “the Blood-Shedder,” founded the Abbasid Caliphate and ruled from 750 to 754 AD. He led a revolt that violently overthrew the Umayyad Caliphate, which had ruled the Islamic world since 661 AD. The Abbasids won after a prolonged struggle that culminated in the Battle of the Zab, 750 AD, in which the Umayyads were decisively defeated.

One of the most brutal and symbolic events associated with al-Saffah’s early rule was a macabre feast held over the bodies of slain Umayyad princes. Al-Saffah had captured and executed a number Umayyads, and the survivors fled and went into hiding. So the new caliph announced an amnesty, to be marked by a feast to commemorate the conciliation. The Umayyads who showed up were seized and executed, and the other guests were invited to a banquet where tables were placed over dead Umayyads.

17. Feasting Above the Enemy

Al-Saffah’s non-Umayyad guests were served food and made to dine, while their former rulers lay dead or writhed beneath them, hidden under carpets or mats. It was not just an expression of personal vengeance, but a powerful political message. It symbolized the complete destruction of the Umayyad Dynasty, and the dominance of the Abbasid regime. The spectacle was both a warning to potential dissenters, and a statement of the new caliphate’s resolve.

Some historians debate the account’s literal truth, but it nonetheless reflects the intense brutality and dramatic nature of the Abbasid takeover. Al-Saffah’s reputation for ruthlessness was vital both for his image, and for the consolidation of Abbasid authority. He used such acts of terror to eliminate opposition, instill fear, and pave the way for his new regime. It worked: al-Saffah’s reign was short, but it laid the foundation for a dynasty that ruled the Islamic world for centuries.

16. An Unfortunate Emperor

Valerian, full name Publius Licinius Valerianus, was Roman Emperor from 253 to 260 AD. His reign is notable for its turbulent times, and his unprecedented capture by a foreign enemy – one of the most dramatic and humiliating episodes in Roman imperial history. Before he became emperor, Valerian held various senatorial and military positions, and earned a reputation for competence and loyalty.

He was proclaimed emperor by his troops during a period of civil unrest and external threats, and elevated his son, Gallienus, as co-emperor to help manage the vast and unstable empire. In 260 AD, Valerian led a military campaign against the Sasanian Persian Empire, ruled by Shapur I.

15. Extreme Humiliation and Ownage

Valerian’s army had some initial successes, but was then struck by disease and experienced logistical failures near the city of Edessa in modern-day Turkey. In the resultant Battle of Edessa, the Romans were decisively defeated, and Valerian was taken prisoner – the first and only time a Roman emperor was captured alive by a foreign enemy.

Roman and Persian sources differ on what happened to Valerian after he was captured. Roman accounts portray his captivity as one of extreme humiliation. According to them, Shapur used Valerian as a human footstool to mount his horse, and subjected him to various indignities. After years in captivity, Valerian was reportedly executed, possibly flayed alive or stuffed after death, and displayed in a Persian temple as a warning to Rome.

14. A Symbol of Roman Vulnerability

Persian sources, such as the rock reliefs at Naqsh-e Rustam, take a more propagandistic tone. They depict Shapur holding Valerian by the arm while another Roman bows before him, to symbolize Persian superiority. The inscriptions emphasize the greatness of Shapur’s victory, but do not detail the emperor’s fate. Valerian’s capture had far-reaching consequences.

It was a severe blow to Roman prestige, and highlighted the empire’s fragility during the Crisis of the Third Century. His son, Gallienus, ruled alone afterward, and faced numerous rebellions and invasions. Valerian’s captivity remains a symbol of Rome’s vulnerability, and the shifting balance of power between Rome and Persia in the third century AD.

13. Salting the Earth of Defeated Foes

Salting the earth was a symbolic act of destruction, historically associated with the desire to render a conquered area permanently barren or uninhabitable. Salt was scattered over the defeated enemy’s territory to prevent future use, and ensure that nothing would grow there again. It was more symbolic than literal – salt was expensive in the ancient world, so to avoid bankruptcy, the victors would salt a small patch of enemy ground, that symbolically represented the entire enemy’s territory.

The most famous and widely cited instance occurred after the Third Punic War, 149 – 146 BC. When Rome finally destroyed its long-time rival Carthage, the Romans are said to have sown salt into the city’s soil. It was meant not only to prevent agriculture, but to symbolize the complete and final destruction of Carthage, and ensure that it would never rise again as a threat to Roman power.

12. An Ancient Curse’s Enduring Symbolism

Contemporary Roman sources do not mention the salting of Carthage’s soil, so the story might be apocryphal, added by later writers for dramatic effect. Salting the earth has also appeared in biblical and medieval contexts. In the Old Testament, Abimelech is said to have salted the city of Shechem after destroying it. In medieval Europe, it became a ceremonial act of condemnation, often used against traitors or rebellious cities.

One notable example occurred in 1460, when the city of Liège in modern-day Belgium was destroyed and symbolically salted after a failed revolt against Burgundy. In all its versions, salting the earth was more about symbolism than reality. It conveyed a message of utter defeat and erasure, leaving behind a cursed or barren land. It remains a powerful metaphor for irreversible destruction in both historical discourse and literature.

11. Centuries After His Death, Al-Saffah’s Ownage of His Enemies Was Copied by the Mongols

The Mongols were known not only for military prowess, but also for psychological warfare and symbolic acts of domination. One of the most vivid recorded examples is the Mongol practice of celebrating atop their captured enemies, often using them as furniture or humiliating props during feasts. The practice was not widespread in a literal sense across all Mongol campaigns.

However, it was significant enough to be noted in medieval chronicles, especially in connection with high-profile captives. A notable example comes from the aftermath of the Mongol conquest of Baghdad in 1258. Some reports claim that Hülegü Khan and his commanders feasted atop a platform or floor laid over the bodies of surviving Abbasid nobles or soldiers, symbolically enjoying a victory while trampling their enemy’s former power.

10. Displays of Total Domination Over Defeated Rulers

Though accounts of Mongols feasting atop captives after capturing Baghdad may be exaggerated, they align with other Mongol practices of demonstrating total domination over defeated rulers. As seen below, the most famous variation of this humiliation was likely inflicted on Al-Musta’ṣim, the last Abbasid caliph.

The message was clear: total Mongol supremacy, and the utter defeat of their enemies. Such acts were part of a broader strategy of intimidation and psychological control. The dramatic humiliation and desecration of enemy elites terrorized their remaining opponents, and made many of them surrender without a fight. The brutal spectacles were shocking, but effective tools to build the Mongols’ fearsome reputation.

9. The Last Caliph

Al Musta’sim Billah (1213 -1258) was Islam’s last Caliph, or religious successor to the Prophet Mohammad. He ruled the rump of what had once been the mighty Abbasid Caliphate. In the thirteenth century, the Mongols under Hülegü Khan invaded Islam’s heartlands. Despite warnings, Al-Musta’ṣim failed to organize an effective defense or seek powerful allies.

He underestimated the Mongols’ resolve and military might, partly due to bad advice from his vizier, who may have hoped to negotiate a peaceful surrender or gain favor with the Mongols. In 1258, Hülegü besieged Baghdad, and captured it within two weeks. The Mongols then began a horrific massacre. Hundreds, of thousands were slaughtered, and the city’s famed libraries, including the House of Wisdom, were destroyed. The Tigris River reportedly ran black with the ink of countless manuscripts thrown into its waters.

8. A Humiliating Demise

Al-Musta’ṣim was captured along with his family. Accounts of his death vary, but most agree it was both symbolic and brutal. According to popular tradition, Hülegü, respecting a Mongol superstition against shedding royal blood, ordered Al-Musta’ṣim to be rolled in a carpet and trampled to death by horses. Another account claims he was forced to watch a Mongol feast or used as a footstool by Hülegü, then executed.

Other sources suggest he may have been starved or executed in some other way, but all agree his death was deliberately humiliating. The fall of Baghdad and Al-Musta’ṣim’s execution ended centuries of Abbasid rule, and symbolized the collapse of centralized Islamic power. Later Abbasid caliphs were installed in Cairo under Mamluk protection, but they held only religious authority, never political power like their predecessors in Baghdad.

7. The Only Ottoman Sultan Captured by a Foreign Enemy

The captivity of Sultan Bayezid I, also known as Bayezid the Thunderbolt (Yıldırım Bayezid), is one of the most dramatic episodes in Ottoman history. Bayezid ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1389 to 1402 and expanded its territory significantly into the Balkans and Anatolia. His ambition and military success earned him a fearsome reputation, but also led to confrontation with one of history’s greatest conquerors, Timur, Central Asia’s Turco-Mongol ruler.

Bayezid had been campaigning in Anatolia, consolidating power, while Timur was advancing westward, claiming supremacy over all Turkic and Muslim lands. Their paths inevitably crossed, and at the Battle of Ankara, 1402, Timur outmaneuvered and defeated the Ottomans. Many of Bayezid’s allies defected, and he was captured – the only Ottoman sultan ever taken prisoner by a foreign enemy.

6. Timur’s Ownage of Bayezid

Timur reportedly kept Bayezid in a gilded cage, or confined him in humiliating conditions. In some accounts, Timur brought Bayezid out during feasts to display him like a trophy, and forced him to watch court entertainments. Such entertainments included making Bayezid’s favorite wife wait upon and serve the victors and his courtiers like a common servant, while naked.

While the actual treatment may have varied, it is clear that Bayezid was stripped of his imperial dignity. He died in captivity in 1403, due to illness, stress, or possible suicide. His death triggered a civil war among his sons, known as the Ottoman Interregnum. It lasted until 1413, when Mehmed I emerged victorious. Bayezid’s capture was a major blow to Ottoman prestige, but the empire eventually recovered. His dramatic fall, however, served as a powerful lesson in the volatility of power and the consequences of unchecked ambition.

5. When Any Excuse Would do to Go to War

The Italian Peninsula was riven by strife for centuries during the Middle Ages. Holy Roman Emperors competed with popes for dominance, and the locals split into factions and picked sides. There were two main parties: the Ghibellines supported the emperors, while the Guelphs championed the popes. In such a tense environment, anything could trigger a war. That explains the otherwise inexplicable War of the Bucket between the cities of Bologna and Modena.

The bigger Bologna was Guelph and supported the pope, while Modena was Ghibelline and backed the emperor. Hostilities reportedly started when some soldiers from Modena dashed into Bolognese territory, and took an oaken bucket from a well. To be fair, the bucket in of itself did not cause the war. However, it became the war’s symbol. The Bolognese demanded the bucket’s return, only for Modena to refuse.

4. Rubbing it in a Rival City’s Face for Centuries

Honor and pride were on the line. The more that Bologna demanded the bucket be returned, the more adamantly Modena refused. For the smaller Modena, the refusal to return the bucket despite threats from the bigger Bologna became an expression of defiance and courage. Things escalated until Bologna and its allies amassed an army of 30,000 infantry and 2500 knights, led by Pope John XXII in person.

To face them, Modena gathered a significantly smaller force of 5000 infantry and 2800 knights. Against the odds, Modena defeated the forces of Bologna and its allies at the Battle of Zappolino, 1325. The humiliated Guelphs suffered about 3000 casualties. In a centuries-long demonstration of ownage, Modena has displayed the oaken bucket in its town hall ever since, to rub its victory in Bologna’s face.

3. Chopping Up Nazis With an Ax

In the summer of 1941, shortly after the Nazis invaded the USSR, Dmitry Ovcharenko, of the Red Army’s 389^th Regiment, 176^th Infantry Division, was in southern Ukraine. Recovering from recent injuries, Ovcharenko was on light duty, given a cart to transport supplies from the rear to the front. However, the front moved while Ovcharenko was on a supply run, and he was unaware of that when on July 13^th, 1941, he turned a bend in the road and ran into dozens of Germans.

One of them quickly seized Ovcharenko’s rifle, then an officer came up to interrogate him. Unbeknownst to the Nazis, their captive’s cart had an ax. Ovcharenko suddenly grabbed it, and beheaded the German officer with a single strike. While shocked Nazis attempted to process what they had just seen, Ovcharenko dove into the cart, grabbed hand grenades, and began to throw them at his captors.

2. A One-Man Rampage

Ovcharenko was soon surrounded by more than twenty killed and wounded enemies, and the horrified survivors ran away. Ovcharenko grabbed his ax, chased them, overtook another Nazi officer, and beheaded him. The demoralized and terrified Germans, probably rear echelon servicemen instead of frontline combatants, fled in terror. He eventually grew exhausted and returned to his supply cart, now surrounded by sheer carnage. Ovcharenko gathered weapons, maps, and documents off the deceased Nazis, piled them in the cart, and delivered his haul to regimental headquarters.

1. Nobody Believed This Act of Ownage at First

At first, Ovcharenko chain of command refused to believe his account. That changed when his astonished comrades finally saw the scene of his one-man rampage, and the gruesome evidence scattered all around. Ovcharenko had slaughtered 21 Nazis with grenades, and chopped off the heads of two enemy officers with an ax. That earned him a Hero of the Soviet Union decoration. Unfortunately, he did not live to see the war’s end. Dmitry Ovcharenko soldiered on until World War II’s last year, when he was severely injured as the Red Army advanced into Hungary, and died in late January, 1945.

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Where Did We Find This Stuff? Some Sources and Further Reading

Ancient Origins – What Really Happened to Valerian?

Bulletin of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 14 No. 1 (1987) – Review: The History of al-Tabari, Volume XXVII, the Abbasid Revolution

Classical Philology, Volume 83, Number 1, Jan., 1988 – Passing the Salt: On the Destruction of Carthage Again

Classical Review, Vol. 27, No. 2 (Mar., 1913) – Passing Under the Yoke

Encyclopedia Britannica – Timur

Gabriel, Richard – Subotai the Valiant: Genghis Khan’s Greatest General (2004)

Glubb, John Bagot – A Short History of the Arab Peoples (1969)

Gonick, Larry – The Cartoon History of the Universe III: From the Rise of Arabia to the Renaissance (2002)

Hildinger, Erik – Warriors of the Steppe: Military History of Central Asia, 500 BC to 1700 AD (1997)

History Collection – Decadent and Depraved Roman Emperors Who Shocked Their Subjects

Inalcik, Halil – The Ottoman Empire: The Classical Age, 1300-1600 (1969)

Lamb, Harold – Tamerlane: The Earth Shaker (1929)

Lord Kinross – The Ottoman Centuries: The Rise and Fall of the Ottoman Empire (1979)

Military History Now – Beyond the Pail: The Unbelievable War of the Oaken Bucket

Morgan, David – The Mongols (1986)

Robinson, Paul – Military Honour and the Conduct of War (2006)

Top War – Dmitry Ovcharenko: The Hero Who Hacked Two Dozen Fascists With an Ax

Vetus Testamentum, Vol. 13, Fasc. 1 (Jan., 1963) – Jericho and Shechem: A Religio-Literary Aspect of City Destruction

War History Online – Russian Rambo of WWII

World History Encyclopedia – Valerian