Hecatomb

Hecatomb, in the worship of the Greeks, and in other ancient religions, a sacrifice of a large number of victims, properly, although by no means necessarily, one hundred. As early as the time of Homer it was usual only to burn the legs wrapped up in the fat and certain parts of the intestines, the rest of the victim being eaten at the festive meal after the sacrifice. In Athens the hecatomb was a most popular form of sacrifice; while the thrifty Spartans on the contrary limited the number both of the victims and of the sacrifices. In the hecatomb, strictly so called, the sacrifice was supposed to consist of one hundred bulls; but other animals were frequently substituted.