The Illustrated Guide to Terrorism
Chapter 1: What Is Terrorism?
Page 11: Who were the Sicarii?
NARRATOR
Let’s start over: WHO were the Sicarii?
Stick figures.
BYSTANDER
Yeah! Take off the mask.
SICARIUS
No can do. We prefer to stay anonymous.
Sea of faces
SICARIUS
It’s easier to strike fear into every man’s heart when he can’t tell who might strike a dagger into it.
Nervous Sicarius and calm Roman soldier
SICARIUS
Plus, if the Romans ever learn our their identities, the movement will be history in a heartbeat!
SOLDIER
Oh, we’ll take our time…
…with the membership.
Sicarii reacting to the narrator
NARRATOR
“Movement?”
So the Sicarii weren’t BANDITS, or…
SICARIUS #1
Bandits? God, no.
We’re not illiterate thugs or thieves.
SICARIUS #2
Ours is a political movement…
…of scribes and scholars!
NARRATOR
GUERRILLA fighters, then?
Ancient armies fighting
VARIOUS
Not a chance.
Guerrillas engage in combat!
…with other military forces.
Sicarii at an org chart presentation
PRESENTER
I mean, sure, we’re well-organized killers, but…
we don’t fight.
Group of Sicarii at a business-type meeting.
VARIOUS
Also, guerrillas make surprise attacks to gain military advantage.
We’re doing it to get the word out!
Our bloodshed is meant to show the powerful that it’s time to change their ways!
To inspire the common people to rise up against their oppressors!
That means we have to carefully select victims who’ll make the biggest splash!
Sicarii attacking a merchant in a public square
ASSASSIN #1
Victims who promise the most shock value!
The most symbolic value!
MERCHANT
Wha… murder as marketing?
ASSASSIN #2
NO! Murder as the message!
Increasingly irritated Sicarii stick figures.
NARRATOR
Ah, so you’re a RESISTANCE?
FIGURES
No.
Rebels, then?
NO.
Revolutionaries?
NO!
We’re not fighters…
…we are TERRORISTS!
Text box
But WHY?
What did they hope to ACCOMPLISH?
What was all this killing FOR?
Well, guerrillas and insurgents do use terrorism so there is overlap there…