Final answer:
Paul the Apostle, a Roman citizen, was beheaded rather than crucified, showcasing the importance of citizenship in determining punishments in the Roman Empire. Exile was another punishment used, often resulting in significant social and legal consequences.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paul the Apostle, originally known as Saul of Tarsus, was a Roman citizen and thus was beheaded rather than crucified. This was because Roman citizens were afforded certain rights and protections under Roman law, and crucifixion was considered a punishment too humiliating for a citizen. Beheading, on the other hand, was a form of execution deemed more quick and less dishonorable, reserved for citizens convicted of capital crimes. Paul's Roman citizenship is a testament to the complex legal structure of the Roman Empire, where citizenship could significantly influence a person's fate under the law.
Exile was also a common punishment during the Roman Republic and Empire, oftentimes used as a political tool or consequence of legal proceedings. Exile could mean physical banishment from the city of Rome or loss of social standing and privileges. Notable figures like Cicero were subjected to exile, which involved the loss of Roman citizenship and therefore a change in one's legal and social status. Terentia, Cicero's wife, had to dissociate from him due to the revocation of his citizenship, demonstrating the profound personal and legal implications of such a sanction.