[27] “The predecessors of Servius Tullius brought all causes before their tribunal, and pronounced judgment themselves in all disputes which regarded the State or individuals. He separated these two things, and, reserving to himself the cognizance of affairs which concerned the State, abandoned to other judges the causes of individuals, with injunctions, nevertheless, to regulate their judgments according to the laws which he had passed.” (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, IV. 25.) [28] “The consuls, like the ancient kings, have twelve lictors carrying axes and twelve lictors carrying rods.” (Appian, _Syrian Wars_, 15.) [29] “From that time Tarquinius Superbus carried, during the rest of his life, a crown of gold, a toga of embroidered purple, and a sceptre of ivory, and his throne was also of ivory; when he administered justice, or walked abroad in the town, he was preceded by twelve lictors, who carried axes surrounded with rods. (_Dionysius overlooks the twelve other lictors who carried rods only._) After the kings had been expelled from Rome, the annual consuls continued to use all these insignia, except the crown and the robe with purple embroidery. These two only were withdrawn, because they were odious and disagreeable to the people. But even these were not entirely abolished, since they still used ornaments of gold and dress of embroidered purple, when, after a victory, the Senate decreed them the honours of the triumph.” (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, III. 62.) [30] “The soldiers of Romulus, to the number of three thousand, were divided into three bodies, called ‘tribes.’” (Dio Cassius, _Fragm._, XIV., edit. Gros.--Dionysius of Halicarnassus, II. 7.--Plutarch, _Romulus_, 25.)--“The name of tribune of the soldiers is derived from the circumstance that the three tribes of the Ramnes, the Luceres, and the Tatiens each sent three to the army.” (Varro, _De Lingua Latina_, V. § 81, p. 32, edit. O. Müller.) [31] Dionysius of Halicarnassus, II. 35. Attempts have been made to explain in different ways the origin of the word _curia_. Some have derived it from the word _curare_, or from the name of the town of _Cures_, or from κὑριος, “a lord:” it seems more natural to trace it to _quiris_ (_curis_), which had the signification of a lance (Dionysius of Halicarnassus, II. 48.--Plutarch, _Romulus_, for thus we obtain a term analogous with that of the Middle Ages, where _spear_ signified a _man-at-arms_, accompanied by six or eight armed followers. And as the principal aim of the formation of the curia was to furnish a certain number of armed citizens, it is possible that they may have given to the whole the name of a part. We read in Ovid, _Fasti_, II. lines 477-480:-- “Sive quod hasta curis priscis est dicta Sabinis, Bellicus a telo venit in astra deus: Sive suo regi nomen posuere Quirites, Seu quis Romanis junxerat ille Cures.” [32] Titus Livius, 1. 43. [33] Dionysius of Halicarnassus, II. 14, and IV. 20.