1-155-179 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Guillotine set up under the Arch of Marius at Orange, France, French Revolution, during the Reign of Terror, 1793-1794. The Terror was imposed by the revolutionary authorities with the objective of suppressing counter-revolutionary activity by means of state terrorism. Under the direction of Maximilien Robespierre and his fellow members of the Committee for Public Safety, thousands of people were condemned to death between September 1793 and July 1794. Estimates of the number of victims vary widely, from 18,000 to as many as 40,000.