in antiquity, a kind of punishment, consisting of direful curses and marks of infamy: such was that used against Philip king of Macedon by the Athenians. A general assembly of the people being called, they made a decree, that all the statues and images of that king, and of all his ancestors, should be demolished, and their very name razed; that all the festivals, sacred rites, priests, and whatever else had been instituted in honour of him, should be profaned; that the very places where there had been any monument or inscription to his honour, should be detestable; that nothing should be set up, or dedicated in them, which could be done in clean places; and, lastly, that the priests, as often as they prayed for the Athenian people, allies, armies, and fleets, should as many times detest and execrate Philip, his children, kingdom, land and sea forces, and the whole race and name of the Macedonians.

At the taking and demolishing of cities, it was usual among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, to pronounce curses upon, and load with direful execrations, the rebuilders of them.