Sicilicus

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In Old Latin a sicilicus is a diacritical mark, evidently shaped like a sickle. During the time of the Republic, it was placed above a geminate consonant to indicate that the consonant counted twice ^[1]. When such geminate consonants later began to be represented by writing the letter twice, the sicilicus fell into disuse. Plautus alludes to the sicilicus in the prologue to Menaechmi.^[2]

[edit] Notes

1. ^ (cf. Isidore Etymologiae 1.27.29; Nisus fr. 5 Mazzarino in Velius Longus de Orthographia Keil 7.80; Gaius Marius Victorinus Ars Grammatica 4.2 Mariotti)
2. ^ Sicilicissitat (Plautus, Menaechmi 12) and Early Geminate Writing in Latin