HECATOMB, in Antiquity, a sacrifice of a hundred beasts of the same kind, at a hundred altars, and by a hundred priests or sacrificers. The word is formed from the Greek ἑκατόν, which properly signifies a sumptuous or magnificent sacrifice. Some, however, derive it from the Greek ἑκατόν, centum, an hundred, and βῶς, bos, bullock, from which the hecatomb should be a sacrifice of a hundred bullocks; whilst others derive it from ἑκατόν and πῶς, pes, foot, and on that principle maintain that the hecatomb might consist of only twenty-five four-footed beasts. They add, that it did not matter what kind of beasts were chosen as victims, provided the contingent of feet was complete.
Respecting the origin of hecatombs, Strabo relates, that there were a hundred cities in Laconia, and that each city used to sacrifice a bullock every year for the common safety of the country; whence the institution of the celebrated sacrifice of a hundred victims, called hecatombæ. Others refer the origin of hecatombs to a plague, with which the hundred cities of Peloponnesus were afflicted, and for the removal of which they jointly contributed to so splendid a sacrifice.
Julius Capitolinus relates, that for a hecatomb they erected a hundred altars of turf, and on these sacrificed a hundred sheep and a hundred hogs; and he adds, that when the emperors offered sacrifices of this kind, they sacrificed a hundred lions, a hundred eagles, and a hundred other beasts or animals.