The Amlicites were a group of Nephites who, in approximately 87 B.C., became followers of a man named Amlici. Amlici was a “cunning” individual who sought to be king over the Nephites. His aspirations were met with rejection in a democratic manner by the voice of the people, leading to a violent uprising by his adherents who intended to secure his kingship by force (Alma 2:1-11). As a faction, the Amlicites sought to replace the established system of judges among the Nephites with a monarchy that Amlici had hoped to lead.
Following their defeat by the Nephites in an initial battle, the Amlicites retreated and found support by joining forces with a substantial Lamanite army. Despite being outnumbered, the Nephite forces were victorious in the subsequent confrontation through divine support, as they “had been strengthened by the hand of the Lord” (Alma 2:28). During this conflict, Amlici himself was slain by Alma, which dealt a critical blow to the Amlicite cause. The remnants of the Amlicite and Lamanite armies fled towards the wilderness, with many Amlicites succumbing to their wounds or being consumed by wild beasts (Alma 2).
The Amlicites are distinctively noted for marking themselves with a red mark upon their foreheads, reminiscent of Lamanite customs, thereby fulfilling a prophecy concerning those who would oppose the Nephite people (Alma 3:4, 14-18). This act of marking themselves was interpreted by Mormon as the Amlicites bringing a curse upon themselves: “Now this was the curse which the Lord had set upon them, yea, and it was a sore curse because of their iniquity” (Alma 3:19). The fate of the Amlicites ultimately serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of apostasy and rebellion against God and the established order among the Nephite civilization. Following their uprising, the Amlicites disappeared from Nephite records, either slain, dispersed into the wilderness, or assimilated into the Lamanite population.