A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

TULLIUS. TULLIUS.- 1189
take the arms and places of such as might fall in equites; but as we know that the equestrian census
battle: the proletarii were those who had at least in the later times of the republic was four times
375 asses, or originally 75 asses, and they were the amount of that of the first class, it is probable
sometimes armed in pressing danger at the public that the same census was established by Servius
expense: while the capitecensi were all those whose Tullius. Niebuhr indeed supposed that the sex
property was less than the sum last mentioned, and suff'ragia comprised all the patricians, independent
they were never called upon to serve till the time of the property they possessed; but this supposition
of Marius, Thus the infantry or Pedites contained is, independent of other considerations, disproved
in all 175 centuries. by the fact, that we have express mention of a
The cavalry or Equites were divided by Servius patrician, L. Tarquitius, who was compelled on
Tullius into 18 centuries, which did not comprise account of his poverty to serve on foot.
Seniores or Juniores, but consisted only of men The 175 centuries of pedites and the 18 of
below the age of forty-six. The early history and equites thus made a total of 193 centuries. Of
arrangement of the Equites have given rise to these, 97 formed a majority of votes in the asmuch discussion among modern scholars, into which sembly. Although all the Roman citizens had a
we cannot enter here. (See Diet. of Antiq. s. v. vote in this assembly, which was called the CoEquites.) It is sufficient for our present purpose mitia Centuriata, from the voting by centuries,
to state that Tarquinius Priscus had divided each it will be seen at once that the poorer classes had
of the three ancient centuries of equites into two not much influence in the assembly; for the 18
troops, called respectively the first (priores) and centuries of the equites and the 80 centuries of
second (posteriores) Ramnes, Tities, and Luceres. the first class, voted first; and if they could come
These three double centuries Servius Tullius formed to an agreement upon any measure, they possessed
into six new centuries, usually called the sex at once a majority, and there was no occasion to
suei'agia: and as they were merely a new organi- call upon the centuries of the other classes to vote
sation of the old body, they must have consisted at all. This was the great object of the institution,
exclusively of patricians. Besides these six cen- which was to give the power to wealth, and not
turies, Servius formed twelve others, taken from either to birth or to numbers.
the richest and most distinguished families in the The preceding account of the centuries has been
state, plebeian as well as patrician. There can be taken from Livy (i. 43) and Dionysius. (iv. 16,
little question that a certain amount of property foll.), who agree in all the main points. The
was necessary for admission to all the equestrian account of Cicero (de Re Publ. ii. 22) cannot be recenturies, as well in consequence of the timocratic conciled with that of Livy and Dionysius, and
principle of this part of the Servian constitution, as owing to the corruptions of the text it is hopeless
on account of the express statement of Dionysius to make the attempt. The few discrepancies be(iv. 18) that the equites were chosen by Servius tween Livy and Dionysius will be seen by the
out of the richest and most illustrious families, and following table, taken from Becker, by which the
of Cicero (de Rep. ii. 22) that they were of the reader will also perceive more clearly the census
highest census (censu maximo). Neither of these of each class, the number of centuries or votes
writers nor Livy mentions the property which was which each contained, and the order in which they
necessary to entitle a person to a place among the voted.
LIvy. DIONYSI,S.
EQUITEs.-Centuriae - 18 EQUITEs.-Centuriae. 18
I. CLAsss. —Census 100,000 asses. I. CLAssIS.-Census 100 minae.
Centuriae Seniorum - - - 40 Centuriae Seniorum - 40
Centuriae Juniorum - - - 40 Centuriae Juniorum - - 40
Centuriae Fabrunm - - - 2
II. CLAssIs.-Census 75,000 asses. II. CLAssI. —Census 75 minae.
Centuriae Seniorum - - 10 Centuriae Seniorum - - 10
Centuriae Juniorum - - 10 Centuriae Juniorum - - - 0
Centuriae Fabrum - - 2
III. CLAssIs. —Census 50,000 asses. III. CLAssIs. —Census 50 minae.
Centuriae Seniorum - - 10 Centuriae Seniorum - ]- 0
Centuriae Juniorumrn - - 10 Centuriae Juniorumrn - - 10
IV. CLAssIs.-Census 25,000 asses. IV. CLAssIs.-Census 25 minae.
Centuriae Seniorum r - - 10 Centuriae Seniorum r - 10
Centuriae Juniorum - - - 10 Centuriae Juniorum - - 10
Centuriae comic. et tubic. - 2
V. CLAssIs.-Census 11,000 asses. V. CLASSIs. —Census 121 minae.
Centuriae Seniorum - - 15 Centuriae Seniorum - - - 15
Centuriae Juniorum - - - 15 Centuriae Juniorum - - - 15
Centuriae accensorum, ] - C 3
cornicinum, tubicinum | VI. CLASSIS.
Centuria capite censorum - - 1 Centuria capite censorum - 1
Sum total of the Centuriae 194 Sum total of the Centuriae 193
4G 3