The slanged 'sack' must have taken root in modern times (especially the 'sack' in football), or at least there just cannot be any link to this ancient Roman sacking:
The convicted patricide was tied up inside a sack with a snake, a chicken, a monkey, and a dog, all still alive. The sack was then sewn up tight and dumped in a river.
-According to Alberto Angela in his new book 'Reach of Rome.'
No, too far a link.
Incidentally, there are many ancient 'animal rights' traditions, but Rome didn't participate.
Robert said
The slanged 'sack' must have taken root in modern times (especially the 'sack' in football), or at least there just cannot be any link to this ancient Roman sacking:
The convicted patricide was tied up inside a sack with a snake, a chicken, a monkey, and a dog, all still alive. The sack was then sewn up tight and dumped in a river.
-According to Alberto Angela in his new book 'Reach of Rome.'No, too far a link.
Incidentally, there are many ancient 'animal rights' traditions, but Rome didn't participate.
But, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) does link them. In their v.1 entry, your quoted definition is 1.b. The football sack is 1.d.
On the other hand, the sacking of Rome is from v.2.
Ok the act itself was perpetrated multiple times on ancient Rome. But the word was not from the Roman style of punishment, no?
Robert said
Ok the act itself was perpetrated multiple times on ancient Rome. But the word was not from the Roman style of punishment, no?
I am not sure I understand your question. But the etymology that the OED gives for v.1 is
< sack n.1: compare Latin saccÄreto strain through a bag (medieval Latin also to put into a bag), Middle Dutch sacken(Dutch zakken), German sackento put into a bag.
and for v.2 is
sack n.2Compare Provençal saquejar, Spanish saquear, Portuguese saquear, Italian saccheggiare.
HTH
There is the Sack of Rome and there is the sack of Rome and they are unrelated.