Uncovering the Nightmare: The Real-Life Torture Device That Inspired the Saw Franchise’s Most Terrifying Trap

Ever wondered what qualifies as the absolute worst way to meet your end? Well, prepare yourself, because the ‘Brazen Bull’ might just take the grim cake. This ancient Greek torture device, which inspired a scene in one of the Saw movies, was designed to slow-roast victims alive inside a hollow bronze bull—complete with pipes that transformed their agonizing screams into the beast’s bellowing. I mean, who came up with this monstrous idea? Thankfully, it’s long gone, but thanks to a chilling simulation by the YouTube channel Insight Fusion, we now have a stomach-turning glimpse at one of history’s most sadistic inventions. If you think discomfort is bad, wait till you see what this contraption was capable of! LEARN MORE.

People have been left horrified after watching a simulation of what has been dubbed the ‘most painful torture device in history’ that was even used in one of the Saw movies.

Although a large degree of discomfort comes with the territory of being tortured, this sadistic contraption takes punishing someone with pain to a whole new level.

Thankfully, it was knocking about in ancient Greece times during approximately 600-560 BCE, so us lot have hopefully escaped the wrath of it.

But for those who were wondering what the notorious ‘Brazen Bull’ was like in action, this simulation should satisfy your curiosity.

YouTube channel Insight Fusion shared the stomach-churning visual on their page to help people get their heads around how the torture device operated – and it’s pretty grim, to say the least.

The simulation showing the Brazen Bull in action has left people horrified (YouTube/Insight Fusion)

It wasn’t very pretty, as those who unfortunately found themselves on the receiving end of the Brazen Bull were slowly roasted alive.

Numerous ancient texts describe how the macabre mechanism, which was the brainchild of a Greek inventor, was a hollow sculpture of a bull made out of bronze.

A trapdoor was fitted inside, while there was also a set of pipes near the mouth – and although this sounds quite cosy, the reality is a lot bleaker.

Those tasked with inflicting the torture on the condemned would then light a fire underneath the bronze bull, which cooked the person inside alive.

Even more chillingly, the pipes were designed to transform the sound of the victim’s agonising screams into bellowing bull noises. As if it couldn’t get any worse.

The torture device is largely regarded as one of the most horrific in history (DiscoveryWorld)

Ironically, the bloke behind the Brazen Bull ended up being slung inside of it himself…but that’s another story.

Insight Fusion have now shared a short simulation of how the torture device worked in its heyday, while dubbing it ‘one of the worst torture devices of all time’.

Viewers have been left sickened after seeing what went down inside the Brazen Bull, while many were thanking their lucky stars they weren’t born in ancient Greece.

One person commented: “What!!! That’s pure evil.”

Another said: “Glad I was not born in those times.”

A third added: “Bro that would be horrible burning to death in there.”

And a fourth wrote: “Why are we so creative at hurting each other?”

It’s not just these lot who think the Brazen Bull took things a bit too far, either – as the creators behind the horror franchise Saw thought it was so sick, they used it in one of the films.

In the 2010 flick Saw 3D, the Brazen Bull was the sixth and last one in a series of tests, and if the victim failed to escape, they were entrapped in something which resembled a giant oven.

Fire then would erupt from all sides of its exterior, with the victim getting slowly roasted alive, just like inside the Brazen Bull.

I think we can all agree that if the filmmakers behind Saw are taking inspiration from you, you know it’s bad.