With the recent discussions about the beast empire being Muslim or Roman, I have one question to toss into the fray: which empire is associated with beheading?

 

Revelation 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

    Romans were associated with gladiators, crucifixions, etc. but not neccesarily beheading. Other than this verse in the Bible the only others that mention beheading are those in reference to John the Baptist, who was beheaded by Herod. Yes, he was the king of Judea under the Roman empire, but he was not Roman. He was Idumaean, from the Edomites, of the line of Esau, who incidentally, are the same people group that the Palestinians are descended from. I can only think of one group of people who commonly behead their enemies, and still do to this day, and even gloat about it. And they are not Romans.