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A Flogging of a Roman Prisoner.  The floggers in Roman times were called "Lictors".... hence the usage:  "...getting a licking...".  At any rate, the lictors were reportedly trained in physiology to the extent that they would monitor the victim's pulse and breathing so that they could take a beaten  person to the brink of death.... When one more stroke would kill... and if they miscalculated.... alas, they would endeavor to be more careful next time...  In fact, this punishment was referred to as "The Near Death".  I have written in the drawings  inserted caption "...39 strokes..."  In truth, the 39 lashes limit was a biblical limit set in Hebrew Law.  The Romans had no such inclination on setting an upper limit to the number of lashes to be inflicted.  {{The Romans  would administer as many lashes as the victim could take.  If the victim fainted, they would throw cold water in his face.  A victim might faint several times and the whipping would continue.  If the half-conscious victim had his eyes closed, the Lictor would open his eyes with his thumb and forefinger... if the victim's eyes were "rolled back" so that only the whites of his eyes showed, he was one lash away from death and the whipping was stopped.  If the victim had his pupils facing forward, and could see (even a little) or focus his eyes on the Lictor, the whipping would continue.}}  {{Special Thanks To Klaus for his excellent comments and additional information.}} 

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