Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Alligati

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

ALLIGA'TI. In a special sense, a captive or prisoner of war with the soldier who had charge of him; i. e. the two together were called alligati, because it was the Roman practice to chain the prisoner to his captor, the manacle being fastened to the right wrist of the former, and to the left of the soldier to whose custody he was committed; whence the allusion of Seneca (Tranquill. i. 10.), alligati sunt qui alligaverunt. (Compare Stat. Theb. xii. 460.) The illustration (Alligati/1.1) from the arch dedicated by silversmiths of Rome to Septimius Severus, represents a Roman soldier with his prisoner, the latter with both his hands chained together behind his back, while the soldier is preparing to fasten the chain to his own arm: the ring which forms the manacle is seen at the end of the chain.

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  Alligati/1.1