   decemviri (singular decemvir) is a latin term meaning "ten men" which designates any such commission in the roman republic (cf. triumviri, three men). different types of decemvirate include the writing of laws with consular imperium (), the judging of litigation (), the making of sacrifices (), and the distribution of public lands (). ==decemviri legibus scribundis consulari imperio== in 452 bc the plebeians and patricians of rome agreed to the appointment of a commission of ten men to write up a code of law defining the principles of roman administration; during the decemviri's term in office, all other magistracies would be suspended, and their decisions were not subject to appeal. the first set of decemviri, composed entirely of patricians, assumed office in 451 bc, and was led by appius claudius crassus and titus genucius augurinus, who were consuls for that year. each decemvir administered the government for one day in turn, and whichever decemvir presided on any given day was preceded by the twelve lictors bearing the fasces; none of the other decemviri received any protection from the lictors. their administration of justice was exemplary and they submitted to the comitia centuriata a code of laws in ten headings, which was passed. the success of the decemvirate prompted the appointment of a second college of decemviri for 450 bc (appius claudius being the only decemvir returned after having controversially reappointed himself). this second set added two more headings to their predecessors' ten, completing the law of the twelve tables (lex duodecim tabularum), which formed the centerpiece of the roman constitutions for the next several centuries. nevertheless, this decemvirate's rule became increasingly violent and tyrannical; each decemvir was attended by twelve lictors, who carried the fasces with axes even within the city (consuls were attended by twelve lictors, and only a dictator - attended by 24 lictors - could display the fasces with axes within the pomerium). when the decemvirate's term of office expired, the decemviri refused to leave office or permit successors to take office. appius claudius is said to have made an unjust decision which would have forced a young woman named verginia into prostitution or as appius' personal slave, prompting her father to kill her, and this travesty caused an uprising against the decemvirate; the decemviri resigned their offices in 449 bc, and the ordinary magistrates (magistratus ordinarii) we
Ancient_Roman_titles Roman_Republic