Torture was a common method of forcing people to reveal information or to confess to crimes (which they did not commit). It is described as the intentional use of physical or physiological pain to achieve an individual advantage. They are other forms people used to extract knowledge and information in history. The techniques used were painful, humiliating, and deadly, but at the time it was often justified. Torture may last to several hours to days or even longer.

Torture was proven the most effective way of obtaining a confession from imprisoned criminals during the Middle Ages. It was practiced or authorized throughout history by individuals, organizations, and states from ancient times to the present day. Punishments today are not near as harsh as in medieval times. The only punishments we have nowadays are prisons, the medieval punishments were numerous and straightforwardly cruel. The most painful torture of all time methods included barbaric devices intended not only to cause extreme pain but also to permanently disable the victim.