MEASURES OF LENGTH. 12 unciæ (inches): 1 Roman Foot (about 11.65 English inches). MEASURES OF WEIGHT. 12 unciæ (ounces) : one Pound (libra, about lb. avoirdupois). For fractional parts of the pound, see art. as. The Talent was a Greek weight=60 libræ. MEASURES OF CAPACITY. 12 cyathi = 1 sextarius (nearly a pint). 16 sextarii = 1 modius (peck). 6 sextarii = 1 congius (3 quarts, liquid measure). 8 congii = 1 amphora (6 gallons). POLITICAL CONSTITUTION. Ramnes, TRIBES:- I. Three original Patrician tribes Tities, Luceres-each divided into 10 curia, each curia into 10 gentes or Houses; the Senate consisted of the heads of the 300 Houses. This was the early theoretical or aristocratic constitution of the state. Citizens not included in the patrician tribes were the Plebeians (plebes or plebs). — -2. Four Local Tribes-Suburana, Esquilina, Collina, Palatina - to which 31 rural or rustic tribes were afterwards added. This was the basis of the popular constitution. : CLASSES, the military organization by Servius Tullius, according to wealth: - - these were five in number, divided into 170 centuries (centuria) to which were added 18 centuries of Knights (Equites), and 5 of musicians, smiths, &c. - 193 in all. MAGISTRATES:-I. Consuls - two (one a plebeian after the Licinian laws), -executive officers and commanders of the forces after their term of office they might be sent as Proconsuls to the government of provinces. Legal age, 43. -2. Prætors- their number raised to eight at the time of Sulla- having judicial powers, and presiding at public trials: they might be sent as Proprætors, to the government of provinces. Legal age, 40.—3. Ediles two Curule and two Plebeianhaving charge of police, public buildings, games, &c. 4. Quæstors their number raised from two to forty-having charge of finances, commissary, &c.-5. Tribunes of the Plebs-their number five, afterwards ten, all plebeian-having the right of interposition or veto (intercessio) on the action Besides these wereof any magistrate within the city. 1. Censors-two in number, who were appointed once in five years, for a term of 18 months: having jurisdiction of the rank of citizens, public morals, farming of the revenues, and certain public works. -. Dictator: a strictly patrician office, appointed by the Senate for six months, with absolute or kingly power; attended by 24 Lictors, and having as Lieutenant a Master of Horse (Magister Equitum). The office was discontinued after the Second Punic War; but its powers, by special vote of the Senate, were sometimes conferred on the Consuls: Sulla and Cæsar were made dictators for life. All ordinary magistrates were chosen annually, and were absolute, each in his own sphere, during their term of office, but liable to impeachment after its close. The time of entering on office (after B.C. 154) was the first of January, except in the case of Tribunes, whose term commenced in December. Elections were held generally as early as July, but might be deferred at the discretion of the Senate. ASSEMBLIES. 1. The Senate, consisted at first of 100, then 300, heads of the gentes, but was successively enlarged to 600, and even 1000: those who held the office of consul, prætor, ædile or quæstor had a seat in the senate during their term, and were regularly appointed by the censors (rarely by other magistrates) to lifemembership, but were liable to removal. -2. Comitia curiata or calata: patrician assemblies, without political authority, but continued for certain formal proceedings.-3. Comitia centuriata: assembly of the whole body of citizens in the Campus Martius, for elections, legislation, &c., each century having an equal vote: the richest class (80 centuries), with the knights, made a majority of all the votes. 4. Comitia tributa: assembly of the 35 tribes, for certain elections and special legislation (plebiscitum), each Tribe having an equal vote. The Italian Allies, or citizens of the Free Towns (municipia) might, after the social war, vote in Rome, in the comitia of the Centuries or Tribes. A., absolvo, antiquo. ABBREVIATIONS. A. U. C., ab urbe conditâ. d. d., dono dedit. d. d. d., dat, dicat, dedicat. des., designatus. d. m., dii manes. eq. Rom., eques Romanus. f., filius, fastus. ictus, jurisconsultus. id., idus. P. C., patres conscripti. pont. max., pontifex maximus. P. R., populus Romanus. proc., proconsul. q. b. f. f. q. s., quod bonum felix resp., respublica, respondet. s. d. p., salutem dicit plurimam. J. O. M., Jovi optimo maximo. s. v. b. e. e. v., si vales bene est, imp., imperator. ego valeo. tr. pl., tribunus plebis. |