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

6883 LEX DUTODECIM TABULARUM. LEX DUODECIM TABUIJLARUM.
two hundred members were present and after- should be appointed to draw up the code of laws
wards approved by the people; and it enacted that (decemviri Legibus scribundis), but they were to
no Triblune should put his veto on such a Sena- be chosen only from the Patricians, with a provitusconsultum. (Ascon. in Cic. Cornel. pp. 57, 58.) sion that the rights of the Plebeians should be
There was also a Lex Cornelia concerning the respected by the decemviri in drawing up the
wills of those Roman citizens who died in cap- laws. (Liv. iii. 32, &c.) In the following year
tivity (aped hostes). [LEGATUMV, p. 676, b; POST- (B.C. 451) the Decemviri were appointed in tl-le
LIMTNIUmU.] Comlitia Centuriata, and during the time of their
CORNE/LIA Dr Neovs TALrErI,.IS, proposed office no other mraistratus were chosen. The body
by the Tribune P. Cornelius Dolabella, B.c. 47, and consisted of ten Patricians, illcluding the three
*oplposed by M. Antonius, Magister E quiturm. (Liv. commissioners who had becen sent abroad: Appits
Jl)it. 113; Dion Cass. xlii. 3',2; Plut. 41nton.9.) Claudius, Consul designatus, was at tile head. of tle
CORNE'LIA ET CAECI'LIA DE CN. Poer- body. The Ten took the administration of affairs
PEIO, B. C. 57, gave Cn. Pompeins the superintend- in turn, and the Insignsia of office were only used
ence over the Res Frumentaria for five years, with by him who for the time being directed the ad.l
extraordinary powers. (Cic. ad Alt. iv. 1; Liv. ministration. (Liv. iii. 33.) Ten Tables of Lacs
FpLit. 104; Dion Cass. xxxix. 9; Plut. Po01p. were prepared during the year, and after being
49.) [FitJMENTAILIAE LEGEs.] approved Iby tIle Senate were confirmed Iby the
CUILIA'TA LEX DE ImPERIO. [IMPE- Coniitia Centnriata. As it was considered that
frIUAr.] some further Laws were wvanted, Deceniviri were
CURIA'TA LEX DE: ADOPTIONE. [ADOP- again elected s.c. 450, consisting of Appius ClauTIO; and Gell. v. 19; Cic. ctl Att. ii. 7; Suetons. dins and his friends: luat the second body of,Asb,. 6.5; Tacit. Ilist. i. 15.] Decemviri comprised three plebeians, according to
CORNE'LIA BAE'BIA DE AMBITU, pro- Dionysius (x. 513), but Livy (iv. 3) speaks only of
posed by the consuls P. Cornelius Cethegus and Patricians. Two nlore Tables were added by
M. BIaebins Tamphills, B.c. l. I. (Liv. xl. 19; these Decemviri, which Cicero (le Repulb. ii. 37)
Schol. Bob. in Cic. pro Sulla(, p. 361, ed. Orelli.) calls " Dllae tabulae iiiiquarum leogur." The proThis law is sometimes, but erroneously, attributed vision which allowed no connnlri)rn between the
to the consuls of the preceding year, L. Aemilius Patres and the Plebs is referred to the F levethll
and Cn. Baebius. [Asrn ITrus.] Table. (Dirksen, Uebcesicl/t, &c., p. 740.) The
DECEMVIRA'LIS. [LEx DUODFCImI TA- whole Twelve Tables were first published in thle
BULARUMi.] consulship of L. Valericts and M. IHoratitus after
DECIA DE Duur IVIRrS NAVAIBUS (Liv. ix. the downfall of the Decemviri, B. c. 449. (Liv. iii.
30; see ATILIA MARnciA). 54, 57.) This the first attempt to make a code
DI'DIA. [SIrrTAsrr ItAr E LEGES.] relmained also the only attempt for near one thouDOMILTIA DE SACERDO'TIIS. [SACER- sand years, until the legislation of Justinian. The
DOTIA.] Twelve Tables are mentioned by thle iomllan
DUI'LIA (B. C. 449), a plebiscitum proposed lry writers under a great variety of names: Leyes DLethe Tribune l)uilirts, which enacted " qili iplebell cenvlrales, Lex LDecevirsalr'uis,.Lees XII., Lex XII.
sine tribunis reliquisset, quique magistratum sine tcabulas-ram or Duordecinr, and solnetinles they are
provocatione creasset, tergo ae capite pruliretuir." referred to under tIle nanmes of Lyqes anld Lex
(Liv. iii. 55.) simply, as being pre-eolinently The Law.
DUI'LIA MAE'NIA DE UNCIARIo FOENORE The Laws were cuit on bronze tablets and put
P. c. 357. (Liv. ii. 16, 19.) tup ii a public place. (Liv. iii. 57; Diod. xii. 56.)
The same tribunes Dailius and Maeornius carried Polmponius (Dig. 1. tit. 2. s. 2. ~ 4) states that tlhe
a measure which was intended in future to prevent first Ten Tables were on ivory (talelsae eboreae) i
such nnconstitutional proceedings as the elnactment a Ilote of Zimmern (Gesch. des Rils. Pr'ivatrecdhs,
of a Lex by the soldiers out of Ronme, on the pro- vol. i. p. 101) contains references to various authlopo-sal of the Consul. (liv. vii. 16.) rities which treat of this disputed matter. After
DUO')ECIM TABULA'RUM. In the year the burning of the city by the Gauils (Liv. vi. 1),
ir. c. 462 the Tribune C. Terenltiliuts Arsa pro- an order was made to collect the old foedera and
posed a rogation tha.t five mnen should be(;Ip- leges; for, as it has been well remlarked, Livy's
pointrtd for the purpose of preparing a set of laws words, which are supposed to imply that the
to limit the Imperium of the consuls. (Liv. iii. 9.) Twelve Tables were lost, and restored or recoen-'lhe Patricians opposed the meassrre, bhut it was structed, may just as well mean that they were
blroumght forward by the trib:ullnes in the following not lost. Indeed, the jlster interpretation of the
year with some mrodifications: the new rogationr passage is, that they were looked for an.d were
proposed that ten men should be appointed (Icgzunz found. I-owever this may be, neither the Romans
latoress) frorm the plebs and tIhe patricii, who were of the age of Cicero nor at any tilne after had
to make laws for the advantage of both classes, and any doubt as to the genuineness of the collection
for the " equalizing of liberty," a phrase the ins- which then existed.
port of.whichl canu only be udllcerstood by reference The legislation of the Twelve Tublles has been a
to the disputes between the two classes. (Liv. ii. frruitful nlatter of sipeculatioa anid ilnquiry to mnodern
10; Dionys. x. 3.) Accordinlg to Dionysius (x. historiasns a.nd jurists, who have often hsandled tIhe.)2, 54) ill the year 13.c. 4,54 tlhe Senate assented subject in the most uncriticral ianner and Nrithl
to a Plebiscitum, pursuant to which commissioners utter disregard to the evidence. As to the r1iswere to be sent to Athens and the Greek cities sion to the Greek cities, tile fact rests on as much
enerally, in order to make themselves acquainted and as good evidence as most other filcts of the
with their Iaws. Three commissioners ~were ap- same age, and there is lothiing in it ilnprobable,
pointed for the purpose. On the return of the thouglh we do not know what the comiinissionrers
comnlrissiorers, B.c. 452, it was agreed that personls bIrourght back with them. It is filrtllh,: said tll;tt