Duumviri

Duoviri or duumviri ( German Duumvirat or two-man ( official ) ) is the term used for various public offices with two cast (double peak) at the Romans. A single member of that quorum is called Duovir or duumvir. The linguistic form duoviri is the older, often and especially during the Imperial period they are called duumviri.

In the Roman Republic, the collegiality of formal peer officials was generally preferred, usually the first two numbers, but there were also some colleges of tresviri, the Decemviri or Quindecimviri.

A distinction must be Roman city duoviri and municipal duoviri.

Roman city duoviri

This is about colleges of two extraordinary magistrates without imperium with very different function. Many of these duoviri disappeared during the imperial period. Examples are the

• Duoviri perduellionis. The oldest known colleges was used to track the perduellio ( high treason ).
• Duoviri sacris faciundis. Responsible for the Sibylline Books, BC replaced by Decemviri since 367.
• Duoviri agris dandis assign andis. Officials for land grants.
• Duoviri navales. Responsible for the equipment and management of the fleet.
• Duoviri AEDI dedicandae faciundae, locandae. Officials for the dedication, construction, establishment of a temple.
• Duoviri Viis purgandis. Officials to clean the streets.
• Duoviri aquae perducendae. Officials of the water supply.

Duoviri in the civil colonies and municipalities

From the 4th century BC occupied duoviri are as top official of a colonia, municipium of Roman law and often other civitates. If not a boss prefect, " State Commissioner " or similar officer stood at the top, the duumviri formed the city government. The office is to be understood as a copy of the Roman consulate. As duumviri iure dicundo they practiced from the case law on lower level and acted as a certifying authority. They invoked a popular assemblies, presided in the city council ( curia ) and supervised and organized the elections for other public offices. Compared to the emperor or the governor they took the city legally. Among the duumviri often each had the older the primacy of honor, but in principle both had equal rights and were able to use their veto against the actions of the other. They were selected from the decurions for (mostly ) one year. Before the 1st century BC Few details about the office have survived, for the later period provides in particular the epigraphy important information. It is up to the 5/6 Century witnessed in most civitates the Roman West.