DUOVIRI

This article appears in Volume V08, Page 686 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: DRO-ECG

DUOVIRI , less correctly DUUMvIRI (from Lat. duo two, and vir, man), in ancient Rome, the official

style

of two

joint

JOINT (through Fr. from Lat. junctum, jungere, to join)

magistrates. Such pairs of magistrates were appointed at various periods of Roman history both in Rome itself and in the colonies and municipia. (1) Duumviri iuri (iure) dicundo, municipal magistrates, whose

chief

CHIEF (from Fr. chef, head, Lat. caput)

duties were concerned with the ad-ministration of

justice

JUSTICE (Lat. justitia)

. Sometimes there were four of these magistrates (Quattuorviri). (2) Duumviri quinquennales, also municipal

officers

OFFICERS

, not to be confused with the above, who were elected every fifth year for one year to exercise the

function

FUNCTION

of the censorship which was in abeyance for the intervening four years. (3) Duumviri sacrorum,

officers

OFFICERS

who originally had
charge of the Sibylline books; they were afterwards increased to ten (decemviri sacris faciundis), and in Sulla's time to fifteen (quindecimviri). (4) Duumviri aedi locandae, originally officers specially appointed to supervise the erection of a temple. There were also duumviri aedi dedicandae. (5) Duumviri navales, extraordinary officers appointed ad hoc for the equipping of a

fleet

FLEET

. Originally chosen by consuls or dictator, they were elected by the

people

PEOPLE

after 311 B.C. (Livy ix. 30; xl. 18; xli. I). (6) Duumviri perduellionis, the earliest criminal

court

COURT
COURT (from the O. Fr. court, Late Lat. cortis, curtis, a popular form of class. Lat. cohors, gen. cohortis; the mod. Fr. form tour is due to the
influence
- INFLUENCE (Late Lat. influentia, from influere, to flow in)
of the Lat. curia, the word used in medieval documents to translate " court " in the feudal sense)
COURT, ANTOINE (1696-176o)

for trying offences against the state (see TREASON: Roman Law). (7) Duumviri viis extra urbem purgandis, subordinate officers under the aediles, whose duty it was to look after those streets of Rome which were outside the city walls. Apparently in 20 B.c., certainly by 12 B.C., their duties were transferred to the Curatores viarum. From at least as early as 45 B.C. (cf. the Lex Julia Municipalis) the streets of the city were superintended by Quattuorviri viis in urbe purgandis, dater called Quattuorviri viarum purgandarum.
See Fiebiger and Liebenam in Pauly-Wissowa, Realencyc. v. pt. 2.

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