The lictors were instituted by Rome's first king, Romulus, who appointed twelve lictors to attend him. Livy refers to two competing traditions for the reason that Romulus chose that number of lictors. The first version is that twelve was the number of birds that appeared in the augury, which had portended the kingdom to Romulus. The second version, favoured by Livy, is that the number of lictors was borrowed from the Etruscan kings, who had one lictor appointed from each of their twelve states.[2]
Eligibility
Originally, lictors were chosen from the plebeians, but through most of Roman history, they seemed to have been freedmen. Centurions from the legions were also automatically eligible to become lictors on retirement from the army.[3] They were, however, definitely Roman citizens, since they wore togas inside Rome. A lictor had to be a strongly built man, capable of physical work. Lictors were exempted from military service, received a fixed salary (of 600 sesterces, in the beginning of the Empire), and were organized in a corporation. Usually, they were personally chosen by the magistrate they were supposed to serve, but it is also possible that they were drawn by lots.
Lictors were associated with Comitia Curiata and, probably, one was originally selected from each curia, since there were originally 30 curiae and 30 lictors (24 for the two consuls and six for the sole praetor).
Tasks
Gold coin from Dacia, minted by Coson, depicting a consul and two lictors
The lictor's main task was to attend as bodyguards to magistrates who held imperium. They carried rods decorated with fasces and, outside the pomerium, with axes that symbolized the power to carry out capital punishment. Dictatorial lictors had axes even within the pomerium. They followed the magistrate wherever he went, including the Forum, his house, temples, and the baths. Lictors were organized in an ordered line before him, with the primus lictor (the principal lictor) directly in front of him, waiting for orders. If there was a crowd, the lictors opened the way and kept their master safe, pushing all aside except for Roman matrons, who were accorded special honor. They also had to stand beside the magistrate whenever he addressed the crowd. Magistrates could only dispense with their lictors if they were visiting a free city or addressing a higher status magistrate. Lictors also had legal and penal duties; they could, at their master's command, arrest Roman citizens and punish them. A Vestal Virgin was accorded a lictor when her presence was required at a public ceremony.
The degree of magistrate's imperium was symbolised by the number of lictors escorting him:
Dictator: 24 lictors outside the pomerium, 12 inside. The latter rule was ignored beginning with the dictatorship of Sulla
Emperor: originally 12 lictors, after Domitian 24 lictors
Quaestor: 0 lictors in the city of Rome, but quaestors were permitted to have fasces in the provinces.[4]
Judge: 1 lictor
Sometimes, lictors were ascribed to private citizens on special occasions, such as funerals or political reunions, as a show of respect by the city.[citation needed]
Lictor curiatus
The lictor curiatus (plural lictores curiati) was a special kind of lictor who did not carry rods or fasces and whose main tasks were religious. There were approximately thirty of them, serving at the command of the pontifex maximus, the high priest of Rome. They were present at sacrifices where they carried or guided sacrificial animals to the altars. Vestal Virgins, flamines (priests), and other high-ranking priests were entitled to be escorted and protected by lictores curiati. In the Empire, women of the imperial family were usually followed by two of this kind of lictor. The lictores curiati were also responsible to summon the Comitia Curiata (the Public Assembly) and to maintain order during its procedures.
Head of Libertas, and on the reverse a consul flanked by two lictors on a denarius
^Livy. The History of Rome by Titus Livius: Books Nine to Twenty-Six, trans. D. Spillan and Cyrus Edmonds. York Street, Covent Garden, London: Henry G. Bohn, 1868. 1.8
^Dando-Collins, Stephen (2013-09-03). Legions of Rome. Quercus. p. 41. ISBN978-1-62365-201-2.
Staveley, Eastland Stuart; Lintott, Andrew (2012). "lictores". In Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.). The Oxford classical dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.3709. ISBN978-0-19-954556-8. OCLC 959667246.
Smith, William, ed. (1875). "Fasces". A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. London: John Murray. pp. 520–21.
External links
Lendering, Jona (2019) [2002]. "Lictor". Livius.org. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
January 20, 2023
lictor, lictor, possibly, from, latin, ligare, bind, roman, civil, servant, attendant, bodyguard, magistrate, held, imperium, documented, since, roman, kingdom, have, originated, with, etruscans, bronze, statuette, roman, lictor, carrying, fasces, contents, or. A lictor possibly from Latin ligare to bind was a Roman civil servant who was an attendant and bodyguard to a magistrate who held imperium Lictors are documented since the Roman Kingdom and may have originated with the Etruscans 1 Bronze statuette of a Roman lictor carrying a fasces 20 BC to 20 AD Contents 1 Origin 2 Eligibility 3 Tasks 4 Lictor curiatus 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksOrigin Edit A fasces was the symbol of a lictor The lictors were instituted by Rome s first king Romulus who appointed twelve lictors to attend him Livy refers to two competing traditions for the reason that Romulus chose that number of lictors The first version is that twelve was the number of birds that appeared in the augury which had portended the kingdom to Romulus The second version favoured by Livy is that the number of lictors was borrowed from the Etruscan kings who had one lictor appointed from each of their twelve states 2 Eligibility EditOriginally lictors were chosen from the plebeians but through most of Roman history they seemed to have been freedmen Centurions from the legions were also automatically eligible to become lictors on retirement from the army 3 They were however definitely Roman citizens since they wore togas inside Rome A lictor had to be a strongly built man capable of physical work Lictors were exempted from military service received a fixed salary of 600 sesterces in the beginning of the Empire and were organized in a corporation Usually they were personally chosen by the magistrate they were supposed to serve but it is also possible that they were drawn by lots Lictors were associated with Comitia Curiata and probably one was originally selected from each curia since there were originally 30 curiae and 30 lictors 24 for the two consuls and six for the sole praetor Tasks Edit Gold coin from Dacia minted by Coson depicting a consul and two lictors The lictor s main task was to attend as bodyguards to magistrates who held imperium They carried rods decorated with fasces and outside the pomerium with axes that symbolized the power to carry out capital punishment Dictatorial lictors had axes even within the pomerium They followed the magistrate wherever he went including the Forum his house temples and the baths Lictors were organized in an ordered line before him with the primus lictor the principal lictor directly in front of him waiting for orders If there was a crowd the lictors opened the way and kept their master safe pushing all aside except for Roman matrons who were accorded special honor They also had to stand beside the magistrate whenever he addressed the crowd Magistrates could only dispense with their lictors if they were visiting a free city or addressing a higher status magistrate Lictors also had legal and penal duties they could at their master s command arrest Roman citizens and punish them A Vestal Virgin was accorded a lictor when her presence was required at a public ceremony The degree of magistrate s imperium was symbolised by the number of lictors escorting him Dictator 24 lictors outside the pomerium 12 inside The latter rule was ignored beginning with the dictatorship of Sulla Emperor originally 12 lictors after Domitian 24 lictors Rex and Consul 12 lictors Proconsul 11 lictors Magister equitum 6 lictors Praetor 6 lictors 2 within the pomerium Propraetor and Legatus 5 lictors Curule aediles 2 lictors Quaestor 0 lictors in the city of Rome but quaestors were permitted to have fasces in the provinces 4 Judge 1 lictorSometimes lictors were ascribed to private citizens on special occasions such as funerals or political reunions as a show of respect by the city citation needed Lictor curiatus EditThe lictor curiatus plural lictores curiati was a special kind of lictor who did not carry rods or fasces and whose main tasks were religious There were approximately thirty of them serving at the command of the pontifex maximus the high priest of Rome They were present at sacrifices where they carried or guided sacrificial animals to the altars Vestal Virgins flamines priests and other high ranking priests were entitled to be escorted and protected by lictores curiati In the Empire women of the imperial family were usually followed by two of this kind of lictor The lictores curiati were also responsible to summon the Comitia Curiata the Public Assembly and to maintain order during its procedures Head of Libertas and on the reverse a consul flanked by two lictors on a denariusSee also EditCursus honorum Praetorian GuardReferences EditCitations Stavely amp Lintott 2012 sfn error no target CITEREFStavelyLintott2012 help Livy The History of Rome by Titus Livius Books Nine to Twenty Six trans D Spillan and Cyrus Edmonds York Street Covent Garden London Henry G Bohn 1868 1 8 Dando Collins Stephen 2013 09 03 Legions of Rome Quercus p 41 ISBN 978 1 62365 201 2 Smith 1875 Sources Staveley Eastland Stuart Lintott Andrew 2012 lictores In Hornblower Simon Spawforth Antony Eidinow Esther eds The Oxford classical dictionary 4th ed Oxford Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 acrefore 9780199381135 013 3709 ISBN 978 0 19 954556 8 OCLC 959667246 Smith William ed 1875 Fasces A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities London John Murray pp 520 21 External links EditLendering Jona 2019 2002 Lictor Livius org Retrieved 2022 03 10 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lictor amp oldid 1132549681, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
