Vigintisexviri
Politics of ancient Rome |
|---|
 |
| Periods |
|
| Constitution |
| Political institutions |
| Assemblies |
|
| Ordinary magistrates |
| Extraordinary magistrates |
| Public law |
| Senatus consultum ultimum |
| Titles and honours |
The vigintisexviri (sg. vigintisexvir; lit. 'twenty-six men') were a college (collegium) of minor magistrates (magistratus minores) in the Roman Republic. The college consisted of six boards:[1]
- the decemviri stlitibus judicandis – 10 magistrates who judged lawsuits, including those dealing with whether a man was free or a slave;[2]
- the tresviri capitales, also known as nocturni – three magistrates who had a police function in Rome, in charge of prisons and the execution of criminals;[3]
- the minting coins);[4]
- the quattuorviriviis in urbe purgandis – four magistrates overseeing road maintenance within the city of Rome;
- the duoviri viis extra urbem purgandis – two magistrates overseeing road maintenance near Rome; and
- the four praefecti Capuam Cumas – praefecti sent to Capua and Cumae in Campania to administer justice there.[1]
Being a member of the vigintisexviri was a prerequisite to the
quaestorship after the reforms of Sulla.[5] The label used for these magistrates may only have been introduced after Sullan times, but the first of the constituent boards may date back to the third century BC.[1]
The duoviri viis extra urbem purgandis and the four praefecti Capuam Cumas were abolished by Augustus c. 13 BC, reducing the vigintisexviri to the vigintiviri.[1] In AD 13, the senate restricted eligibility, ordaining that only equites should be eligible to the college of the then-vigintiviri.[6] The remaining boards were not abolished entirely until at least the third century.[1]
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e Purcell 2012.
- ^ Drummond 2012.
- ^ Oxford Classical Dictionary 1999, "police".
- ^ Melville-Jones 1990, "mint magistrates".
- ^ Brennan 2012.
- ^ Smith 1875.
Sources
- Brennan, T Corey (2012). "cursus honorum". In Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.). The Oxford classical dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 400. OCLC 959667246.
- Drummond, A (2012). "decemviri stlitibus iudicandis". In Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.). The Oxford classical dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 400. OCLC 959667246.
- Melville-Jones, John R. (1990). A dictionary of ancient Roman coins. London: Seaby. OCLC 25283897.
- Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony, eds. (1996). The Oxford classical dictionary (3rd ed.). Oxford. )
- Purcell, N (2012). "vigintisexviri, vigintiviri". In Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.). The Oxford classical dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 1551. OCLC 959667246.
- Smith, William, ed. (1875). "vigintisexviri". A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray. p. 983.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
