 The victim was tied to the crosspiece and was hoisted up with the horizontal beam and made fast to the vertical stake.They say that as this was the simpler form of erection, and the carrying of the crossbeam ("patibulum") was probably a form of punishment for slaves, the "crux commissa" may be taken as the normal practice.Other reference works contend the cross was "a post with a cross-beam" ("Theological Dictionary of the New Testament"), "the form usually seen in pictures, the "crux immissa" (Latin cross †), ... in which the upright beam projects above the shorter crosspiece" ("International Standard Bible Encyclopedia"); and "most likely the "crux immissa" (the traditional † depiction) or the "crux commissa" (a T-shaped cross)" (John R. Donahue and Daniel J. Harrington, "The Gospel of Mark").