FURCA, in Antiquity, a piece of timber resembling a fork, which was used by the Romans as an instrument of punishment.
There were three methods of punishing by the furca. The first, which was only ignominious, consisted in a master, for small offences, forcing a servant to carry a furca on his shoulders through the city. In the second, which was penal, the party was led round the circus, or other place, with the furca upon his neck, and whipped all the way. The third was capital. In this instance the malefactor having his head fastened on the furca, was whipped to death.