Batillum or vatillum was an ancient Roman iron shovel with a short handle used for various purposes, especially as a fire-shovel, chafing-dish, and for burning incense.[1]
Etymology
editThe name is possibly related to battualia "the exercise of soldiers and gladiators in fighting and fencing" which is related to the English verb to beat or to vas a vessel (in some Latinate languages 'b' and 'v' can be interchangeable).[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Thurston 1898, p. 1514.
- ^ The Online Latin Lexicon
Bibliography
edit- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Peck, Harry Thurston, ed. (1898). "Batillum". Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York: Harper & Brothers. p. 1514.