Curia, a division of the Roman tribes. Romulus originally divided the people into three tribes, and each tribe into 10 Curiæ. Over each Curia was appointed a priest, who officiated at the sacrifices of his respective assembly. The sacrifices were called Curionia and the priest Curio. He was to be above the age of 50. His morals were to be pure and unexceptionable, and his body free from all defects. The Curiones were elected by their respective Curiæ, and above them was a superior priest called Curio maximus, chosen by all the Curiæ in a public assembly.——The word Curia was also applied to public edifices among the Romans. These were generally of two sorts, divine and civil. In the former were held the assemblies of the priests, and of every religious order, for the regulation of religious sacrifices and ceremonies. The other was appointed for the senate, where they assembled for the despatch of public business. The Curia was solemnly consecrated by the Augurs, before a lawful assembly could be convened there. There were three at Rome, which more particularly claim our attention: Curia Hostilia, built by king Tullus Hostilius: Curia Pompeii, where Julius Cæsar was murdered; and Curia Augusti, the palace and court of the emperor Augustus.——A town of the Rhœti, now Coire, the capital of the Grisons.
Curia lex, de Comitiis, was enacted by Marcus Curius Dentatus the tribune. It forbade the convening of the Comitia, for the election of magistrates, without a previous permission from the senate.
Curias. See: [Curium].
Curiatii, a family of Alba, which was carried to Rome by Tullus Hostilius, and entered among the patricians. The three Curiatii, who engaged the Horatii, and lost the victory, were of this family. Florus, bk. 1, ch. 3.—Dionysius of Halicarnassus, bk. 5.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 24.
[♦]Caius Curio, an excellent orator, who called Cæsar in full senate, Omnium mulierum virum et omnium virorum mulierem. Tacitus, Annals, bk. 21, ch. 7.—Suetonius, Cæsar, ch. 49.—Cicero, Brutus.——His son Caius Scribonius, was tribune of the people, and an intimate friend of Cæsar. He saved Cæsar’s life as he returned from the senate house, after the debates concerning the punishments which ought to be inflicted on the adherents of Catiline. He killed himself in Africa. Florus, bk. 4, ch. 2.—Plutarch, Pompey & Cæsar, ch. 49.—Valerius Maximus, bk. 9, ch. 1.—Lucan, bk. 4, li. 268.
[♦] ‘Q.’ replaced with ‘Caius’
Curiosolitæ, a people among the Celtæ, who inhabited the country which now forms Lower Brittany. Cæsar, Gallic War, bk. 2, ch. 34; bk. 3, ch. 11.
Curium, a town of Cyprus, at a small distance from which, in the south of the island, there is a Cape, which bears the name of Curias. Herodotus, bk. 5, ch. 113.
Curius Dentātus Marcus Annius, a Roman celebrated for his fortitude and frugality. He was three times consul, and was twice honoured with a triumph. He obtained decisive victories over the Samnites, the Sabines, and the Lucanians, and defeated Pyrrhus near Tarentum. The ambassadors of the Samnites visited his cottage, while he was boiling some vegetables in an earthen pot, and they attempted to bribe him by the offer of large presents. He refused their offers with contempt, and said. “I prefer my earthen pots to all your vessels of gold and silver, and it is my wish to command those who are in possession of money, while I am deprived of it, and live in poverty.” Plutarch, Marcus Cato.—Horace, bk. 1, ode 12, li. 41.—Florus, bk. 1, ch. 15.——A lieutenant of Cæsar’s cavalry, to whom six cohorts of Pompey revolted, &c. Cæsar, Civil War, [♦]bk. 1, ch. 24.
[♦] Book number omitted in text.