STIGMATIZING, among the ancients, was inflicted upon slaves as a punishment, but more frequently as a mark to distinguish them: in which case it was done by applying a red-hot iron marked with certain letters to their foreheads, till a fair impression was made; and then pouring ink into their furrows, that the inscription might be the more conspicuous. It was customary to stigmatize the worshippers and votaries of some of the gods. The marks used on these occasions were various; sometimes they contained the name of the god, sometimes his particular ensign, as the thunderbolt of Jupiter, the trident of Neptune, the ivy of Bacchus; or they marked themselves with some mystical number, by which the god's name was described. To these three ways of stigmatizing St John is supposed to refer (Rev. chap. xiii. ver. 16, 17). Theodoret is of opinion that the Jews were forbidden to brand themselves with stigmata, because the idolaters, by that ceremony, used to consecrate themselves to their false gods. Among some nations, stigmatizing was considered as a distinguishing mark of honour and nobility. In Thrace, as Herodotus informs us, it was practised by none but persons of credit, nor omitted by any but persons of the meanest rank. The ancient Britons are also said to have
1 The Editor had hoped to have the gratification of introducing into this work, so deeply indebted to this great and good man, a more detailed account of his life and writings; but circumstances induced him to abandon the design, and to give a place only to the above brief notice contributed by one of his literary assistants.
imprinted on the bodies of their infants the figures of animals, and other marks, with hot irons.