Proscription

Proscription is the act of officially banning or condemning a person or group, typically by a state authority. The word comes from Latin proscribere, meaning to publish publicly as forbidden or to outlaw. In its broad sense, proscription can refer to formal declarations, penalties, or confiscations applied to those deemed enemies, opposed to the ruling authority, or to activities deemed illegal.

Historically, proscription is most closely associated with ancient Rome. In this context, it involved public lists of enemies of the state, announced by the government. Those named could be killed with impunity, and their property was confiscated. The best-known examples occurred under the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla in the late 2nd century BCE and later during the proscriptions of the Second Triumvirate in 43 BCE, which led to the execution or exile of many senators and equites, including the orator Cicero. Proscription in this sense functioned as a political purge, often driven by factions seeking to eliminate rivals and seize assets.

In modern usage, proscription has broadened to refer to official bans on organizations, activities, or individuals rather than the broader, more violent connotations of ancient Rome. Governments may proscribe terrorist organizations, political parties, or other groups, rendering membership or support illegal and subject to penalties such as asset freezes or travel bans. The term can also describe the formal removal of certain rights or recognition. Proscription remains a term that signals state-imposed exclusion, usually justified by security, public order, or national interest, but it is frequently scrutinized for potential abuses and violations of due process.