Quote:
Originally Posted by Folwren
I, too, like your idea, Formy. 
I do NOT like the mideival way of punishing people. It is so brutal and unfair and unjust. I think that in Rohan, the people might understand that punishment must be dealt out with some good end in mind, otherwise....it'd really be pointless. Thanks for your research, though, Groin. 
k, I'm off to bed. I won't be back on until Sunday.
-- Foley |
I'm not suggesting that we reinstate trial by various ordeals, but in dangerous environments, discipline is necessarily more strict. Since warfare featured rather prominently in the schedules of the medievals and since they had whole classes of people devoted to maintaining armies and fighting each other, they would have also had a martial-like system of laws and punishments in place much of the time. Probably not as much so when the threat of invasion, famine, or what have you, was not looming.
In our case, during the War of the Ring, the types of punishment that Groin mentioned above would probably have been practiced by the Rohirrim. But now, during a time of peace and prosperity? It's clearly unnecessary, because the stakes are lower.
(P.S. Since I can't really pass up an opportunity to put in a good word for the Middle Ages...considering how long the medieval monarchies lasted given the imbalance in classes, there was probably more rhyme and reason behind their legislation than they often get credit for.)