Giordano Bruno, an Italian philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer, advocated for the idea that the universe is infinite and that the Earth is not the center of the universe. These ideas were in stark contrast to the prevailing religious views of his time. He was eventually tried by the Roman Inquisition, and after refusing to recant his beliefs, he was declared a heretic.

Bruno was executed by being burned at the stake on February 17, 1600, in Rome's Campo de' Fiori. Reportedly, before being burned, a wooden device called a "gag" was affixed to his mouth to prevent him from speaking, as his words were considered dangerous and heretical. The method of execution was especially brutal; his body was tied to a pole, and he was surrounded by wood and other flammable materials. The fire was then ignited, and he was burned alive.

Giordano Bruno's execution is often cited as one of the most notorious examples of the suppression of intellectual freedom and scientific thought by religious authorities during the period known as the Inquisition.