Decimation ( Roman Army ) This article or section does not cite its references or sources . You can help Wikipedia by introducing appropriate citations . Decimation ( Latin : decimatio ) was a form of extreme military discipline used by officers in the Roman Army to punish mutinous or cowardly soldiers . The word decimation is derived from Latin meaning `` removal of a tenth . `` Procedure A cohort selected for punishment by decimation was divided into groups of ten ; each group cast lots , and the soldier on whom the lot fell was executed by his nine comrades , often by stoning or clubbing . The remaining soldiers were given rations of barley instead of wheat and forced to sleep outside of the Roman encampment . Because the punishment fell by lot , all soldiers in the selected cohort were eligible for execution , regardless of rank or distinction . As a result , the threat of decimation inspired fear and resolve into the Roman Legions . However , because a decimation significantly reduced the troop strength of an army , it is believed that the punishment was rarely used . Sources The earliest documented decimation occurred in 471 B.C. during the Roman Republic 's early wars against the Volsci and is recorded by Livy ( Ab urbe condita , ii.59 ) . The practice was revived by Crassus in 71 B.C. in the Third Servile War against Spartacus . Decimation was in practice during the Roman Empire : Suetonius records that it was used by Augustus in 17 B.C. ( Augustus , 24 ) . Current usage In current English use , the word decimation is understood to refer to an extreme reduction in the number of a population or force , usually greater than the one tenth specified above . The term might now be understood to describe an occurrence in which closer to one tenth of the original number remains , rather than is lost ( see catachresis ) . The current corporate managerial practice of rank and yank bears some similarities to this practice . External links Decimatio , article in Smith 's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities Categories : Articles lacking sources | Ancient Roman military technology | Punishments In other languages : Deutsch | Français | Italiano | Lietuvių | Nederlands | 日本語 | Polski | Русский | Suomi 