Scytalismus

From Latin Scytalismus, from Ancient Greek σκυταλισμός (skutalismós, “clubbing”), from σκυτάλη (skutálē) or σκύταλον (skútalon, “club”) + -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”).

Scytalismus

1. (historical) Alternative form of Scytalism.
   • 1837, Edmund Woolrych translating Ernst Wilhelm Gottlieb Wachsmuth as The Historical Antiquities of the Greeks..., Vol. II, pp. 386–7:

     After the subversion of oligarchy in the Peloponnesian war, Argos continued strictly democratic... The licentiousness and aggressions of the demagogy now rose to such a pitch that they roused the wealthier orders to plot against the democracy; but the conspiracy being discovered, the rage of the multitude broke out into the most brutal and infuriated excesses, during which they massacred twelve hundred of the rich and their adherents; this butchery was entitled the Scytalismus (fustuarium). Horrorstruck at this appalling outrage, which seemed to pass in enormity every thing that had gone before, the Athenians caused their market-place to be consecrated, lest they should share with their guilty allies the vengeance of the offended Nemesis.

From Ancient Greek σκυταλισμός (skutalismós, “clubbing”), from σκυτάλη (skutálē) or σκύταλον (skútalon, “club”) + -ισμός (-ismós, “-ism”).

Scytalismus m sg (genitive Scytalismī); second declension

1. (historical) Scytalismus (clubbing of wealthy Argives in 370 BC)
   • 1681, Johannes Lomeier, De Veterum Gentilium Lustrationibus Syntagma, p. 264:

     De Scytalismo Argis exorto, in quo Argivi e suis mille quingentos interfecerant, certiores facti piaculum circum ecclesiant ferre jusserunt.

     When the Scytalismus broke out in Argos, in which the Argives killed fifteen hundred of their own people, they became aware of it and ordered the assembly to carry out atonement around the city.

   • 1719, Johann Albert Fabricius, Bibliothecae Graece, Vol. IX: Censurae Subjecti, p. 505:

     Argivorum Scytalismus. 22.

     The Scytalismus of the Argives. 22.

   • 1868, Ludwig August Dinsdorf, Διοδωρου Βιβλιοθηκη Ιστορικη, Vol. V, p. 595:

     Scytalismus apud Argivos XV, 57, 3.

     The Scytalismus among the Argives XV, 57, 3.

Second-declension noun, singular only.

• → English: Scytalism, Scytalismus
• > Italian: scitalismo (inherited)