Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Actuarius

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

ACTUA'RIUS. Naves actuariae, or simply Actuariae. A large class of open vessels worked by sweeps and sails, in contradistinction to the merchantmen, or sailing vessels (onerariae). (Sisenna. ap. Non. s. v. p. 535. Cic. Att. v. 9.) Properly speaking, these were not ships of war, that is of the line, but were employed for all purposes requiring expedition, as packet boats, transports (Liv. xxv. 30.), for keeping a look-out, and by pirates (Sallust. Fragm. ap. Non. l. c.), and were never fitted with less than eighteen oars. (Scheffer, Mil. Nav. ii. 2.) The illustration (Actuarius/1.1) is from the Vatican Virgil.

2. Actuarii. Short-hand writers, who took down the speeches delivered in the senate or public assemblies. Suet. Jul. 55.

3. Under the empire, officers who kept the commissariat accounts, received the supplies for the use of the army from the contractors, and dispensed them in rations to the troops. Ammian, xx. 5. 9. Id. xxv. 10. 17. Aurel. Vict. p. 293.

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  Actuarius/1.1