Final answer:
The punishment for a medium or spiritist in ancient times was often severe, with stoning to death being one such punishment mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The punishment for a person who was a medium or spiritist, according to ancient practices and laws, often varied among different cultures and religious codes. One notable example can be found in the Hebrew Bible, in Leviticus 20:27, which mentions that a medium or spiritist should be stoned to death. This reflects the severity with which ancient societies could treat such practices, as they were seen to be in direct contradiction to the dominant religious or legal norms of the time. Additionally, in various cultures, we see a range of severe punishments for various crimes, including bodily mutilations, servitude, and other forms of capital punishment, like burning and stoning as mentioned in different historical texts such as the accounts of Qin punishments and ancient Mesopotamian laws.