A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

DICTATOR,

A Roman Magistrate, who was alone invested with the Consulary and Soveraign Authority, and had power of life and death over the Romans, he had Lictors walking before him. Pomponius Laetus allows him but two; but Raphael Volateranus says, more likely there were four and twenty Li∣ctors, for each Consul had commonly twelve. This Magistrate was never chosen, but when the Commonwealth was reduced to some great Extremity, either by an unexpected War, or some popular and epidemical Dis∣ease, to drive in the Nail, or chuse new Se∣nators. The Consul elected a Dictator by Night upon the Territories of the Common-wealth, and no where else. That Office was for six Months; at first none but Patricians only were admitted to it; but afterwards they were taken out of the People, and the first who was honour'd with that Employment was called T. Largus.