 Edit: Recent study of  ancient crucifixions have revealed that it is likely that the nails  were in fact driven through the hands as opposed to the wrists. The  hands have a nerve running through the middle of them that would  have caused unbelievable amounts of pain when the nail was driven  through. To support the bodys weight, ropes were tied at the wrists  and the elbows to tie them to the crossbeam, then the legs were  broken causing the weight of their body to pull on the upper body,  eventually resulting in death by slow suffocation.