Jump to content

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Sicarius

From Wikiversity

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SICA'RIUS. In a general sense, one who makes use of the curved knife or dagger termed sica; but as that weapon amongst the Romans was chiefly employed for ruffianly purposes, the word sicarius was commonly used to designate a bandit, murderer, or assassin (Cic. Rosc. Am. 36. Hor. Sat. i. 4. 3.), even without reference to the instrument by which the murder was accomplished. Quint. x. 1. 12.

2. A gladiator (Cic. Rosc. Am. 3. sicarios atque gladiatores) belonging to the class called Thracians, who were armed with the sica, a national weapon in Thrace, instead of the sword (gladius), as exhibited by the annexed figure (Sicarius/2.1) of a Thracian gladiator, from the device on a terra-cotta lamp.

References

[edit | edit source]