CARN´IFEX
CARN´IFEX the public executioner at Rome, who put
slaves and foreigners to death (Plaut.
Bacch. 4.4, 37;
Capt. 5.4, 22), but no citizens except in the case of
those convicted of
perduellio, and occasionally
under the empire. It was also his business to administer the torture. He was
usually a public slave, and his office was considered so disgraceful that he
was not allowed to reside within the city (
Cic.
pro Rab. Perd. 5, 15), but he lived without
the Porta Esquilina (Plaut.
Pseud. 1.3, 98; cf. Ritschl,
Opusc. 2.382), near the place destined for the punishment
of slaves (Plaut.
Cas. 2.6, 2;
Tac.
Ann. 15.60; Hor.
Epod. 5.99), called Sestertium or
Sessorium under the emperors (
Plut. Galb.
28).
It is thought by some writers, from a passage in Plautus (
Rud.
3.6, 19), that the carnifex was anciently keeper of the prison under the
triumviri capitales; but there does not appear sufficient authority for this
opinion. (Lipsius,
Excurs. ad Tacit. Ann. 2.32.) [
W.S] [A.
S. W.]
