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Encyclopedia of Religion entry for

Assassins

In a passage in the New Testament (Acts xxi. 38) " Assassins " is given in the Revised Version as a rendering of the Greek word sikarioi. The Authorised Version translates " murderers." Sikarioi is formed from the Latin sica, a short sword which " cut-throats " (Grimm-Thayer, Lexicon, 1896) carried under their clothing (p. Josephus, Wars ii 17, 6; Antiquities xx. 8, 10). The term seems to have been applied to some of the Jewish Zealots (q.v.).

citations: Encyc. of Rel., Canney

article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12

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