Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In Roman antiquity: A leather wine-skin. A measure of capacity equal to 20 amphoræ. The “sack”: a punishment appointed for parricides, who, after being flogged and undergoing other indignities, were sewed up in a leather bag and cast into the sea.
- noun The scrotum.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word culeus.
Examples
-
The murderer of a parent was sewed up in a sack (culeus or culleus) and thrown into a river.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 12: Philip II-Reuss 1840-1916 1913
adoarns commented on the word culeus
It seems by the Leges Corneliae, specifically de sicariis et veneficis, the Roman punishment for parricide was to be sewn up in a leather sack and thrown into the Tiber. Some other sources describe several animals being confined within the sack as well. The culeus was the leather sack, and by metonymy came to mean the punishment as well.
December 17, 2007
reesetee commented on the word culeus
And why not? That's what we do in this town when someone commits parricide.
December 17, 2007