Decurion (administrative)
- Decurion (administrative)
-
- Not to be confused with Decurion (Roman cavalry officer)
A decurion was a member of a city senate in the Roman Empire.[1] Decurions were drawn from the curiales class, which was made up of the wealthy middle class citizens of a town society.
Decurions were the most powerful political figures at the local level. They were responsible for public contracts, religious rituals, entertainment, and ensuring order. Perhaps most importantly to the imperial government, they also supervised local tax collection.
Early in the imperial period, aristocratic citizens actively sought the post as a mark of prestige, they would gain seats in the front row of the theatre and be accepted into the class of honestiores (honourable men).[2] Once elected, they were expected to pay large sums of their own money to perform public works; decurions would typically compete with each other to furnish the community with temples, baths and other public facilities.
Under the Dominate (284 and later), when the empire's finances demanded more draconian tax collection measures, the position of decurion ceased being a status symbol and became an unwanted civil service position.[1] It was still limited to the aristocracy, but the primary emphasis was clearly on tax collection, and decurions were expected to make up any shortfall in the local tax collection out of their own pockets. Many decurions illegally left their positions in an attempt to seek relief from this burden; if caught, they would be subject to forfeiture of their property or even execution.
References
- ^ a b History of the Later Roman Empire, Bury, J.B. Chapter 1.
- ^ Decuriones / Curiales
Categories:- Ancient Roman titles
- Ancient Rome stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Decurion (Roman cavalry officer) — This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) 753 BC – AD 476 Structural history Roman army (unit types and ranks … Wikipedia
Aquincum Mithraeum (of Victorinus) — Coordinates: 47°33′50″N 19°03′01″E / 47.563798°N 19.050239°E / 47.563798; 19.050239 … Wikipedia
Noviodunum (Switzerland) — For Other Roman/Celtic settlements of the same name, see Noviodunum. Roman column from Noviodunum Noviodunum or Colonia Iulia Equestris was a Roman era settlement in what is now Nyon in the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. Contents … Wikipedia
Nicomachus Flavianus (son) — For his father with the same name, see Virius Nicomachus Flavianus Nicomachus Flavianus (floruit 382–432), sometimes referred to as Flavianus the younger, was a grammarian and a politician of the Roman Empire. He was the son of Virius Nicomachus… … Wikipedia
Diocletian — 51st Emperor of the Roman Empire Laureate bust of Diocletian. Reign 20 November 284 – 1 April 286 (alone) 1 April 286 – … Wikipedia
Auxiliaries (Roman military) — Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = supports ) formed the standing non citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC ndash;284 AD), alongside the citizen legions. By the 2nd century, the auxilia contained the same number of infantry as… … Wikipedia
Excubitors — Active ca. 460 – ca. 1081 Country Byzantine Empire Type heavy cavalry, imperial guard Garrison/HQ Constantinople, Bithynia … Wikipedia
Domitian — For other people named Domitian, see Domitian (disambiguation). Domitian 11th Emperor of the Roman Empire Bust of Domitian, Capitoline Museum, Rome … Wikipedia
Roman legion — For other uses, see legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio military levy, conscription, from legere to choose ) is a term that can apply both as a transliteration of legio ( conscription or army ) to the entire Roman army and also, more… … Wikipedia
Pacific Theater — or Pacific Theatre may refer to *Asian and Pacific theatre of World War I * Pacific War **Pacific Ocean theater of World War II **South West Pacific Theatre of World War II *Pacific Theater of Operations, an American armed forces term for the… … Wikipedia