# A Dictionary of the Book of Mormon/Gadianton Robbers

​GADIANTON ROBBERS. Of all the factions that separated themselves from the Nephites, none worked so much injury to the people as did the bands of the Gadianton robbers. The very fact of their organization shows the deplorable condition of Nephite society; while their continuance and growth proclaims yet more loudly and emphatically how debased the community had become.
The Gadiantons were at first (B. C. 52), apparently, a band of robbers and murderers, bound together by the most horrible oaths of secresy and satanic covenants, to aid and shield each other in whatever sins and iniquities they might commit. ​These covenants did not originate with Gadianton or any of his crew. They were as old as the days of Cain, into whose ear the Son of Perdition whispered these bloodthirsty and infernal suggestions. These same secret societies flourished among the Antediluvians, and had place with the Jaredites and other peoples of antiquity. In the end they invariably wrought ruin and destruction wherever they found a foothold. To their abominations can be traced the fall and extinction of both the Jaredite and Nephite races.
As time went on, the Gadiantons among the Nephites aspired to rule the republic. When, by their combinations, they could not carry their point at the elections, they would murder, or attempt to murder, any judge or other officer who was distasteful to them, and place a more acceptable man in his seat. So fell more than one of the Nephite chief judges. But they frequently had no need to do this, for as the people increased in iniquity they could easily carry the majority or the voice of the people with them. In this way several of their numbers were elected to the chief judgeship.
After the time of the conversion of the Lamanites by Lehi and Nephi (B. C. 30), the Gadianton robbers took their place in the history of ancient America. The divisions then became the righteous Nephites and Lamanites on one side, and the Gadiantons on the other. And, strange as it may appear, these robber bands received greater encouragement and attained to greater power among the Nephites than among the Lamanites; but the fact is, that in that era the Lamanites were a growing race, while the Nephites were a decaying one. Many wars ensued between these two divisions, ending sometimes in the temporary suppression of the robbers, as in the year B. C. 17. But they soon reappeared, as they did five years after the instance here mentioned (B. C. ​12). The most momentous of all these wars was the one that was waged during the earthly life of our Savior. It virtually commenced in the second year of His mortal existence, and continued with slight intermissions until the twenty-first. So powerful and arrogant, had the robbers grown in that age that Giddianhi, their leader, in A. C. 16, wrote an epistle to Lachoneus the chief judge, calling upon the Nephites to submit themselves to the robbers and their ways; to accept their oaths and covenants; and in all things become like unto them. The presumption of the robber chief does not appear to have been without foundation, for so desperate had the condition of the people become that Lachoneus devised and carried out the stupendous movement of gathering them all, both Nephites and Lamanites, to one land, where they would be safe by consolidation, and be able to wear out the robbers by masterly inactivity. In this he succeeded, and the robber bands were destroyed by privation, famine, and the sword.
After the days of Jesus, the Gadiantons again appeared, when iniquity began to prevail; and by the year A. C. 300 they had spread over all the land. To their baneful influence may be attributed many of the atrocities and abominations that disgraced the last wars between the Nephites and Lamanites.