duumvir
(djuːˈʌmvə(r))
Pl. -virs, or in L. form -viri (-vɪraɪ).
[L. duumvir lit. ‘man of the two’, ‘one of the two men’; in pl. originally duovirī ‘the two men’, later duumvirī after the sing.]
In Rom. Hist.: One of the duumviri, the general name given to pairs of co-equal magistrates and functionaries in Rome and in her coloniæ and municipia. Hence, in modern use, one of two colleagues in authority.
| 1600 Holland Livy i. xxvi. 19 b, The king [Tullus Iostilius]..assembled the people together and said: ‘I ordaine Duumvirs to sit upon Horatius..to judge him according to the law’. 1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v., The antient Romans..had almost as many Duumviri as they had officers joined two by two in commission. 1794 Burke Sp. Impeach. Hastings (Bohn) II. 33 Here is a compact of iniquity between these two duumvirs [Wheler and Hastings]. 1838 Arnold Hist. Rome I. 312 note, The two supreme magistrates in the municipia..whose office was analogous to that of the consuls at Rome, were called duumvirs. |