FedorToledo, Spain.
I’m in awe as I move at night through the narrow, ancient streets of Old Toledo, exploring this picturesque and rather well preserved medieval city. It evokes a very militaristic atmosphere – after all it had been a strategic outpost, even predating its Roman conquest.
Toledo, an enchanting city full of untold legends, has existed for millennia – Roman records mention a battle with the Celts for control of the city circa 200 BC, when it was Conquered by the Roman general Marcus Fulvius Nobilior – a city fought over since antiquity.
Because of its strategic location on high ground, Toledo has been occupied by a wide multitude of cultures and they all had a strong impact on this captivating city. It’s no wonder that Old Toledo is known as The City of Three Cultures and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The main cultures influencing Toledo’s overall makeup were the Christians, Muslims and Jews, although the Romans, Visigoths and Celts left their mark as well. Years of tolerance and prosperity created a unique melting pot of creativity.
Such periods of tolerance, however, were short lived. The Jews and the Muslims were expelled by fanatical Christians, as the Inquisition loomed over the country, and countless atrocities were committed in the name of religious fundamentalism, disguised as God’s will.
Toledo changed hands countless times, not only through bloody wars and conquests, but also through secret alliances, betrayals and assassinations. One such episode is the story of Amrus ibn Yusuf, a Visigoth in the service of the Moors, who bribed rival political groups in Toledo around 800 AD to accept him as the governor. As a “reward” he beheaded all his guests and dumped their bodies in the ditch, all during the dinner being held in his honor. The massacre went down in history as The Day of the Ditch – fans of The Game of Thrones series, would instantly recognize its similarity to The Red Wedding.
Another reason Toledo has always been a place of such desire, beyond it strategic location, was Iberian steel and its blacksmiths – their well-known art of crafting swords. It was said that Hannibal used Toledo steel against the Roman army 2500 years ago. Weapons have always been in high demand throughout our bloody history as human beings.
Considering its dark history, what better place than Toledo to house an exhibition showcasing instruments of torment?
Walking through the exhibit, I cannot help but think about the amount of creative energy, time and innovation was spent for the sole purpose of torture. We, humans, can be a cruel species.
The variety of horrifying ways that were conceived to inflict misery on our fellow beings is astounding, overwhelming even. There are countless of diverse machines that were used throughout history for the sole purpose of inflicting the maximum amount of pain and suffering. This idea is mind boggling, yet still persists during our day and age. All that energy which could be spent, advancing our civilization is spent on forcing others to conform to a certain ideology, not through the art of dialogue but through barbaric, primitive ways.
I could not stop thinking that these widely used devices of terror were created with the same spirit as the great architectural landmarks and artistic ingenuity of this city. The innovation is astounding. How can such a magical place give birth to such abominations? How can such beauty hold such cruelty within its walls?
That is the duality of humanity, I guess.
The Iron Throne?
As beautiful as Toledo is, we also have to remember the bloody history that made it the city it is today – a place of dark wonder, overcast by the shadows of its ruthless past, without ever losing its silver lining – The Picture of Dorian Grey, perhaps.
Humanity cannot afford to succumb to its own cruel devices. To this day, the use of torture is still being tolerated all over the world. Fanaticism in its infinite brutality.
