Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

SCRTJPULUM.

SELLA.

tures, together with the number and quality
of the cattle. From this registering (scribere)
the duty itself was called scriptura, the public
pasture land agcr scripturarius, and the
publicani, or their agents who raised the tax,
scripturarii. The Lex Thoria (b. c. Ill) did
away with the scriptura in Italy, where the
public pastures were very numerous and
extensive, especially in Apulia, and the lands
themselves were now sold or distributed. In
the provinces, where the public pastures
were also let out in the same manner, the
practice continued until the time of the empire ;
but afterwards the scriptura is no longer
mentioned.

SCRtJPULTJM, or more properly Scripu-
lum or Scbiplum (ypa^jxa), the smallest
denomination of weight among the Romans.
It was the 2 4th part of the Uncia, or the
288th of the Libra, and therefore = 18-06
grains English, which is about the average
weight of the scrupular aurei still in existence.
[Aueum.] As a square measure, it was the
smallest division of the jugerum, which con-
tained 288 scrupula. [Jugf.rum.]

SCUTUM (Ovpeos), the Roman shield worn
by the heavy-armed infantry, instead of being
round, like the Greek CutPEUS, was adapted
to the form of the human body, by being
made either oval or of the shape of a door,
(OOpa), which it also resembled in being

Scuta, shields. (Bartoli, Areus Triumph.)

made of wood or wicker-work, and from
which consequently its Greek name was
derived. Polybiua says that the dimensions
of the scutum were 4 feet by 2K

8CSTALE (o-kutoAt)) is the name applied
to a secret mode of writing, by which the
Spartan ephors communicated with their

kings and generals when abroad. When a
king or general left Sparta, the ephors gave
to him a staff of a definite length and thick-
ness, and retained for themselves another of
precisely the same size. When they had
any communications to make to him, they cut
the material upon which they intended to
write into the shape of a narrow riband,
wound it round their staff, and then wrote
upon it the message which they had to send
to him. When the strip of writing material
was taken from the staff, nothing but single
letters appeared, and in this state the strip was
sent to the general, who, after having wound
it round his staff, was able to read the com-
munication.

SCYTHAE (S/cu'&u). [Demosii.]
SECESPITA, an instrument used by the
Roman priests in killing the victims at sacri-
fices, probably an axe. In the annexed coin,
the reverse represents a eulter, a simpuvium,
and a secespita.

Sccespita, Culler, and Simpuvium. (Cuin of Sulpieia Gens.)

SECTIO, the sale of a' man's property by
the state (publico). This was done in conse-
quence of a condemnatio, and for the purpose
of repayment to the state of such sums of
money as the condemned person had im-
properly appropriated ; or in consequence of
a proscviptio. Sometimes the things sold
were called sectio. Those who bought the ,
property were called sectores. The property
was sold sub hasta.

SECTOR. [Sectio.]

SECURIS (afi'n), 7re'Ae/cv9), an axe or
hatchet. The axe was either made with a
single edge, or with a blade or head on
each side of the haft, the latter kind being
denominated bipennis. The axe was used as
a weapon of war chiefly by the Asiatic nations.
It was a part of the Roman fasces. [Fasces.]
SECUTORES. [Gladiatores.]
SELLA, the general term for a seat or
chair of any description.—(1) Sella Curulis,
the chair of state. Curulis is derived by the
ancient writers from currus, but it more
probably contains the same root as curia.
The sella curulis is said to have been used at
Rome from a very remote period as an em-
blem of kingly power, having been imported,
along with various other insignia of royalty,
from Etruria. Under the republic the right