Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

SUMTUARIAE LEGES. SUMTUARIAE LEGES. 1077
word as dicere would have been employed, more limited the number of guests to be present at enespecially as it is certain that in the most ancient tertainments. When attempts were afterwards
times those who voted by word of mouth did not made to repeal this law, Cato offered the strongest
go up one by one to the officer who received the opposition, and delivered a speech in defence of the
votes, but remained in their places, and were asked law, which is referred to by the grammarians.
for their votes by the Rogatores, who thence de- (Macrob. Sat. ii. 13; Festus, s. vv. Obsonitavere,
rived their name. Besides which the word sqfifa- -Percunctatum; Schol. Bob. in Cic. pro Sest.
giunm can scarcely signify the same as sententia or p. 310, ed. Orelli; Meyer, Orat. Roman. FraCGm.
vox. The etymology is uncertain, for the opinions p. 91, &c., 2d ed.).
of those who connect it with rppdeoOOat or fraigor FANNTA, proposed by the consul C. Fannins B. C.
do not deserve notice. Wunder thinks that it 161, limited the suims which were to be spent on
may possibly be allied with sqfe'ago, and signified entertainments, and enacted that not more than
originally an ankle-bone or knuckle-bone. On the 100 asses should be spent on certain festivals
passing of the Leges Tabellariae the voting with named in the lex, whence it is called Coentessis by
stones or pebbles went out -of -use. For further Lucilius, that on ten other days in each month not
particulars with respect to the voting in the comitia, more than 30 asses, and that on all other days not
see COMITIA, p. 336; DIRBITORES; SITULA; more than 10 asses should be expended: also that
TABELLA; TAnELLAR.IAE LEGES. no other fowl but one hen should be served up, and
Those who had the Jus S2tfiagii or the right of that not fattened for the purpose. (Gell. ii. 24
voting in the comitia, as well as the capacity of Macrob. Sat. ii. 13; Plin. H. N. x. 50. s. 71.)
enjoying magistracies, were citizens optimo jure. DIDIA, passed B. c. 143, extended the Lex Fan[CIVITAS, p. 291, b.] nia to the whole of Italy, and enacted that not only
SUGGESTUS means in general any elevated those who gave entertainments which exceeded in
place made of materials heaped up (sub and gero), expense what the law had prescribed, but also all
and is specially applied: 1. To the stage or pulpit who were present at such entertainments, should
from which the orators addressed the people in the be liable to the penalties of the law. We are not
comitia. [RosTRA.] 2. To the elevation from however told in what these consisted. (Macrob.
which a general addressed the soldiers. (Tacit. Sat. ii. 13.)
Hist. i. 35.) 3. To the elevated seat from which LICINIA agreed in its chief provisions with the
the emperor beheld the public games (Suet. Jll. Lex Fannia, and was brought forward, we are told,
76; Plin. Paneg. 51), also called cubicidlltm. [Cu- that there might be the authority of a new law
BICULUM.] upon the subject, inasmuch as the Lex Fannia was
SUGGRUNDA'RIUM. [FUNUs, p. 559,b.] beginning to be neglected. It allowed 200 asses
SUI HERE'DES. [HERES, p. 598, b.] to be spent on entertainments upon marriage days
SUMTUA'RIAE LEGES, the name of various and on other days the same as the Lex Fannia:
laws passed to prevent inordinate expense (smetus) also, that on ordinary days'there should not be
in banquets, dress, &c. (Gellius, ii. 24, xx. 1.) served up more than three pounds of fresh and one
In the states of antiquity it was considered the pound of salt meat. (Gell. Macrob. 11. cc.) Gellius
duty of government to put a check upon extra- (1. c.) states, that this law was brought forward by
vagance in the private expenses of persons, and P. Licinius Crassus, but we do not know at what
among the Romans in particular we find traces time, probably however in his praetorship B.C. 103.
of this in the laws attributed to the kings and Gellius relates elsewhere (xv. 8) that a Latin
in the Twelve Tables. The censors, to whom was orator of the name of Favorinus spoke in support
entrusted the disciplina or cura osoroum, punished of this law. (See Diet. of Biog. art. Favorinuzs.)
by the note censos ia all persons guilty of what was COORNELIA, a law of the dictator Sulla B. C. 81,
then regarded as a luxurious mode of living: a was enacted on account of the neglect of the Fangreat many instances of this kind are recorded. nian and Licinian Laws. Like these it regulated
[CENsoa, p. 264, a.] But as the love of luxury the expenses of entertainments. (Gell. ii. 24;
greatly increased with the foreign conquests of the MSacrob. 1. c.) Extravagance in funerals, which
republic and the growing wealth of the nations, had been forbidden even in the Twelve Tables
various Leges Sunltuariae were passed at different (Cic. de Leg. ii. 23-25), was also restrained by a
times with the object of restraining it. These law of Sulla. (Plut. Szul. 35.) It was probably
however, as may be supposed, rarely accomplished the same law which determined how much might be
their object, and in the latter times of the republic spent upon monuments. (Cic. ad Att. xii. 35, 36.)
they were virtually repealed. The following is a AEMILIA, proposed by the consul Aemilius Lelist of the most important of them arranged in pidus B. c. 78, did not limit the expenses of enterchronological order. tainments, but the kind and quantity of food that
OPPIA, proposed by the tribune C. Oppius in the was to be used. (Gell. Macrob. ll. cc.) Pliny (H.
consulship of Q. Fabius and Ti. Sempronius in the N. viii. 57. s. 82) and Aurelius Victor (de Vir. Ill.
middle of the second Punic war B. c. 213, enacted 72) ascribe this law to the consulship of M. Aemithat no woman should have above half an ounce of lius Scaurus B. c. 115. It is not impossible that
gold, nor wear a dress of different colours, nor ride there may have been two Aemilian Leges on the
in a carriage in the city or in any town, or within subject.
a mile of it, unless on account of public sacrifices. ANTIA, of uncertain date, proposed by Antius
This law was repealed twenty years afterwards Restio, besides limiting the expenses of entertain(Liv. xxxiv. 1, 8; Val. Max. ix. 1. ~ 3), whence ments, enacted that no actual magistrate, or magiswe frequently find the Lex Orchia mentioned as trate elect, should dine abroad anywhere except at
the first Lex Sumtuaria. Tacitus (Ann. iii. 33, 34) the houses of certain persons. This law however
speaks of Oppiae Leges. was little observed; and we are told that Antius
OncHIA, proposed by the tribune C. Orchits in never dined out afterwards, that he might not see
the third year after the censorship of Cato B.C. 181, his own law violated. (Gell. Macrob. 11. cc.)
3z 3