VIGINTI SEX VIRI
VIGINTI SEX VIRI under the Republic, or
VIGINTIVIRI under the
Empire, a name given to a group of minor magistrates at Rome, who, though of
different origin and functions, formed in a certain sense a unity, from the
fact. that under the Republic it was usual, and under the Empire probably
legally requisite, for one of them to be held before a man could become a
candidate for the quaestorship. The former name is mentioned by Festus, p.
233, and
D. C. 54.26, and in four inscriptions
(cf.
C. I. L. 1.186), all dating from the time of Augustus.
We do not know whether it was in use earlier. The latter occurs in Dio Cass.
l.c. and 60.5, and in
Tac. Ann. 3.29 (cf. Lipsius' note), but never in inscriptions,
where the title of the special office is always used. The magistrates
grouped under the name were: 1.
tres viri
capitales; 2.
tres viri aeri argento auro,
flando feriundo, sometimes called
monetales; 3.
quattuor viri viis in urbe
purgandis; 4.
duo viri viis extra urbem
purgandis (abolished in, B.C. 20); 5.
decen
viri litibus judicandis; 6.
quattuor
praefecti Capuam Cumas (abolished under Augustus). An account
of each of these has been given under its own heading. They were probably
all elected at one time by the, tribes; but under the Empire they were
chosen by the senate, and it was not usual that the, emperor should nominate
any candidate for these offices. But as it was necessary that candidates,
should possess the
census senatorius and the
latus clavus, those who were not the sons
of senators had to seek this from the emperor. The Vigintiviri had not the
right of sitting in. the senate, which they obtained only by gaining
[p. 2.956]the quaestorship. The Vigintivirate lasted till
the 3rd century (Spart.
Did. Jul. 1), after which we hear no
more of it. (Cf. Mommsen,
Röm. Staatsr. 2.578-595.)
[
A.S.W]
