Comitia

I.

In the Roman law. General assemblies of the people, convened by the constitutional authority of some magistrate, in order to enact or repeal anything by their suffrages. Comitia calata: assemblies convened for certain religious purposes, and at which testaments were usually made; applied to both the comitia curiata and the comitia centuriata. Comitia centuriata: assemblies of the people, instituted by Servius Tu Uius, and embracing all orders (though the patricians and persons of property generally exercised a controlling influence), in which the people gave their votes by centuries. Comitia curiata: assemblies wholly or mainly of the patrician order, instituted by Eomulus, in which they voted in curice, or parishes, of which there were thirty. Comitia tribnta: assemblies of the people, probably of the plebeians only, established B. C. 491, in which they voted according to tribes.

In Roman law. An assembly, either (1) of the Roman curie, in which cuse it was called the “comitia curtata vel ealata;” or (2) of the Roman centuries, in which case it was called the “comitia centttala,” or (3) of the Roman tribes, in which case it was called the “cométia twibuta.” Only patricians were members of the first comitia, and only plebians of the last; but the comitia centuriate comprised the entire populace, patricians and plebians both, and was the great legislative assembly passing the deges, properiy su called, as the senate passed the senatus consulia, and the comitia tribute passed the plebisciia, Underthe Lea Hortensia, 257 B. C., the plehiscitum acquired the force of alex. Brown.

Lat. [from coire, quasi comire, to assemble.] In the Roman law. General assemblies of the people, convened by the constitutional authority of some magistrate, in order to enact or repeal anything by their suflfrages. P, Cyclopadia, Aulus Oellius, XV. 27. Id, xiii. 15. Sigoniusde Ant, Jur, Civ, Rom, i, 17. Gruchius de Comit, Pom, lib. iii. They were of three kinds; curiata, centuriata, and tributa. See infra,