Explanation: Decimation was a military punishment in the Roman Empire, used primarily in the days of the Republic, and even then only rarely. In the case of extreme cowardice or mutiny of an entire unit, the unit would be condemned to decimation - in which they would be split into groups of 10 men, and draw lots or straws. The one who drew the shortest straw was then condemned to be beaten to death by the other 9. This was seen, to the Romans, both as a punishment and a redemption, as by participating as executors, the surviving soldiers are punished, but also are resubmitting to military discipline and enforcing it in the unit.
It was considered, even by Roman standards, to be a very harsh punishment, and only a handful of examples of the punishment are known to have been carried out, and each time it was considered a major and shocking event.
Funny enough, Decimus means something similar - ‘Tenth’. A lot of Roman praenomina (first names) were like that. Primus, Secundus, Tertius, Quartus, Quintus, Sextus, Septimus, Octavius, Nonus, Decimus. First through tenth! Not the most creative fellows, the Romans.
In their defense, birth order rarely correlated with their name - Decimus could just as easily be a firstborn child, or the fifth son.
In their defense, birth order rarely correlated with their name - Decimus could just as easily be a firstborn child, or the fifth son.
This is something, I find more weird than defending. Or, in other words, TIL Romans were bad at counting.
Interesting as well, as well … disgusting! I’m glad, that I wasn’t born into that era.
The past is very often a brutal place! We live in deeply imperfect times in the modern day, and should not be satisfied with the flaws our societies have now, but it’s good to reflect every once in a while how far we’ve come.
Many of us live like the kings of the medieval era. Only the other day I cleaned my arse with a goose.
True (even though some try with all their might to turn back to the “great old times”).