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 ἱερός, which properly signifies a sumptuous or magnificent sacrifice. Some, however, derive it from the Greek ἱερός, centum, an hundred, and βοῦς, boe, bullock, from which the hecatomb should be a sacrifice of a hundred bullocks; whilst others derive it from ἱερός and πέπτω, 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 hecatomb. 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.

HECATOMBÆON was the first month of the Athenian year, consisting of thirty 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.