Execution by fire, often referred to as burning at the stake, is a method of capital punishment where an individual is killed by being set on fire. This form of execution has been historically associated with various legal systems and was notably used during the Inquisition to punish those accused of heresy or witchcraft. The process typically involved tying the condemned person to a stake and surrounding them with combustible materials. This method was intended to serve as a public spectacle, instilling fear and deterring others from committing similar offenses. Execution by fire has largely been abolished in modern legal systems.