σικάριος
sikários
G4607 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who carries a small curved dagger (sica) for the purpose of committing targeted assassination; specifically, a clandestine assassin or political terrorist who uses concealed weapons to murder perceived enemies, often in crowded public settings. In Roman-occupied Judea, especially refers to members of a group engaged in violent resistance against Roman authorities and collaborators. Broader usage indicates one who murders stealthily with a dagger.
Semantic Range
dagger-bearing assassin, political assassin, clandestine murderer, terrorist, one who murders with a dagger
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from the Latin 'sicarius,' from 'sica' meaning 'dagger.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term σικάριος is a loanword from Latin, first appearing in Greek texts of the first century CE. In the context of Roman-ruled Judea, the Σικάριοι (plural) were a specific group of violent insurgents, sometimes called the 'dagger-men,' who sought to expel Roman rule and eliminate those perceived as collaborators through assassinations, often during public gatherings. The term was specific enough to denote a unique phenomenon in Judean society of the period, different from the more general Greek φονεύς ('murderer, slayer'). Later tradition translated the term loosely as 'murderer,' but in Roman and Judean historical sources, it indicates political motivations and clandestine methods. English translations as simply 'murderer' or 'assassin' may obscure this political and historical context. In Josephus and contemporary literature, sikarioi were linked with Zealot groups but sometimes distinguished from broader resistance movements.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Latin origin; a dagger-man or assassin; a freebooter (Jewish fanatic outlawed by the Romans):--murderer. Compare φονεύς.
Root Family
σικάριος (sikarios) — dagger, dagger-killer, assassin
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4607-01 |
σικαρίων | sikarion | N GEN M PL |
Assassins | of dagger-assassins | dagger-assassins | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4607-01 |
Acts 21:38 | σικαρίων | sikarion | N GEN M PL |
Assassins | of dagger-assassins | dagger-assassins |