noun
- an officer who attended a Roman magistrate, bearing the fasces and executing sentences
Usage: historical
Examples
- The consul was preceded by twelve lictors carrying the fasces.
- Roman lictors served as both bodyguards and executioners for magistrates.
- The lictor’s fasces symbolized the magistrate’s power to punish.
- Ancient sources describe lictors clearing the way through crowds.
- The number of lictors indicated the rank of the Roman official.
- Lictors were responsible for carrying out capital punishment.