DUUMVIRI X2 Flashcards
Election Process
They were elected March each year by the populous, the roman citizens of their town, in a voting assembly, comitia, and took office in July. They were elected annually and on the 1st July began their term of office which lasted for a year
Elected, why? What did they offer?
During their year of office, the duumviri were expected to provide spectacles for the people, at their own expense. It was possible to hold office for more than once and this may indicate that there were only a few men with the enormous wealth that was required to fulfill peoples expectations.
Roles
They had no military powers and were solely concerned with the government of their local community. They presided over courts in the town. They were responsible for public money and they would call together the town council, and preside over its meetings. They carried out the decrees of the council.
Priviledges
Every year of the office, the duumviri were given special censorial powers to revise the citizen lists and the role of the town councils. During the year of their office, they wore purple togas. They processed through the street with great pomp and in the theatre and at the public games they enjoyed the best seats. Each duumviri had their staff consisting of two guards (lictores) who carried bundles of rods without axes on official occasions, two messengers (viatores) who delivered written orders, and an attendant who summoned people to court and the council members to their meetings. This attendant was present at both to maintain order and announce the time. There was a copyist (libraries) who wrote down letters and documents and there was a diviner (haruspex), a herald ( praecox) and a flute played (tibicen). This staff was probably filled by the chief magistrates own freedman and cost 13,000 sesterces a year.
Evidence
In the Odeon an inscription tells us that the construction of the Odeon was paid for by the duumviri, Cais Valgus and Marcus Porcuis who also commissioned the large theatre.
