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 of the Greek ἑκατόν, which properly signifies a sumptuous or magnificent sacrifice.—Others derive it from the Greek ἑκατόν centrum, “a hundred,” and ἐπις bos, “bullock,” &c.; on which footing the hecatomb should be a sacrifice of 100 bullocks.—Others derive the word from ἑκατόν and περις peris, “foot;” and on that principle hold, that the hecatomb might consist of only 25 four footed beasts. They add, that it did not matter what kind of beasts were chosen for victims, provided the quota of feet were but had.

Pythagoras is said to have sacrificed a hecatomb to the muses of 100 oxen, in joy and gratitude for his discovering the demonstration of the 47th proposition of the first book of Euclid, viz. that in a rectangle triangle the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the squares of the two other sides.

For the origin of hecatombs: Strabo relates, that there were 100 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 100 victims, called hecatombs. Others refer the origin of hecatombs to a plague, whereupon the 100 cities of Peloponnesus were afflicted; for the removal whereof, they jointly contributed to so splendid a sacrifice.

Julius Capitolinus relates, that for a hecatomb they erected 100 altars of turf, and on these sacrificed 100 sheep and 100 hogs. He adds, that when the emperors offered sacrifices of this kind, they sacrificed 100 lions, 100 eagles, and 100 other beasts of the like kind.

HECATOMBÆON was the first month of the Athenian year, consisting of 30 days; beginning on the first new moon after the summer solstice, and consequently answering to the latter part of our June and the beginning of July. It had its name from the great number of hecatombs sacrificed in it. See HECATOMB.