Proscrits

Proscrits are individuals who have been declared outlaws or whose property has been confiscated by a government, typically through a formal proscription or ban. The term derives from Latin proscritus, from proscribere, meaning to publish as an outlaw.

In ancient Rome, proscription was a political instrument used by those in power to eliminate opponents. The state would publish lists of enemies, authorize their execution or exile, and seize their property. Sulla’s proscriptions of 82 BCE are among the most famous, resulting in the deaths, exile, and confiscation of wealth of many citizens. Later, the proscriptions issued by the Second Triumvirate in 43 BCE targeted political adversaries and led to the murder or banishment of numerous figures, including the notable death of Cicero. Proscription, in this sense, functioned as a public, state-administered threat and a means of rewarding supporters through confiscations and rewards.

In modern usage, proscription remains a legal and political concept. The adjective proscribed is used to describe individuals or organizations forbidden by law to engage in certain activities. For example, many jurisdictions designate certain groups as proscribed or banned under national security or counterterrorism laws. In broader terms, proscription can refer to any formal ban or blacklist imposed by a government or institution on persons or groups, replacing or echoing the older notion of outlaw status with contemporary legal mechanisms.

See also: outlaw, blacklisting, ban, proscription.