What Makes Cremona So Terrifying?

Tacitus wrote about the destruction of tremona by roman soldiers after surrendering. He says, forty thousand armed men forced their way into the city. Neither rank nor years saved the victims from an indiscriminate orgy in rape alternated with murder and murder with rape. Gray beards and frail old women who had no value as loot were dragged off to raise a laugh. Any full grown girl or good looking lad who crossed their path was pulled this way and that,. In a violent tug of war between the would be captors. A single looter trailing a horde of money or temple offerings of massive gold, was often cut to pieces by others who weres onger.