Unveiling The Truth About Sic Semper Tyrannis: History's Hidden Story

Sic semper tyrannis, meaning thus always to tyrants, is a phrase steeped in history, echoing through the halls of ancient rome and reverberating in the american revolution. John wilkes booth, who assassinated lincoln, is said to have screamed the states motto sic semper tyrannis, or thus always to tyrants before making his escape. White supremacy, as both an organizing principle and foundational creed, has been an integral part of our history and identity. Throughout human history, sic semper tyrannis has been linked to some of the most famous instances of political revolution. The latin phrase, which translates literally to thus always to tyrants, is meant to express a feeling of revolution and the inevitable demise of tyrannical rulers.

Booths words harkened back to the assassination of another supposed tyrant two thousand years before, gaius julius caesar. Sic semper tyrannis is a latin phrase meaning thus always to tyrants. In contemporary parlance, it means tyrannical leaders will inevitably be overthrown. The phrase also suggests that bad but justified outcomes should, or eventually will, befall tyrants. It is the state motto of the u. s. The phrase sic semper tyrannis crossed into american history and political culture during the colonial era, and it remains one of the most famous latin phrases used in the united states. It reflects the deeply rooted american belief in republicanism and resistance to tyranny. In the first, in 509 bce, brutus overthrows a tyrannical king named tarquin and founds the roman republic.