Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Decemviri

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

DECEM'VIRI. The members of a commission composed of ten persons, and appointed for particular purposes, as follows: —

1. Legibus scribendis. Ten commissioners appointed soon after the expulsion of the kings, in place of the consuls, to prepare a code of laws for the state. Liv. iii. 32. seqq.

2. Sacrorum or sacris faciundis. A body of commissioners, originally ten in number, but subsequently increased by Sulla to fifteen, who were appointed for life to take charge of the Sibylline books, and inspect them when required. Liv. x. 8. Id. xxv. 12.

3. Litibus judicandis. Ten commissioners, five of whom were senators, and five equestrian, who acted as judges in private disputes instead of the praetor urbanus, when his military duties compelled him to quit the city. Cic. Or. 46. Suet. Aug. 36.

4. Agris dividendis. Ten commissioners appointed to direct the division and allotment of lands amongst the people. Cic. Agrar. 2. passim. Liv. xxxi. 4.