DECURIO

plural Decuriones, in ancient Rome, the head of a group of 10. The title had two applications, one civil, the other military. In the first usage decurio was applied to a member of the local council or senate of a colonia (a community established by Roman citizens and having full citizenship rights) or a municipium (a corporation and community established by non-Romans but granted certain rights of citizenship). Qualifications were numerous, and the position was regarded as an honour. The decuriones had wide powers in local administration, finance, and judiciary proceedings. Later in the empire, when prosperity declined and the demands of the central government increased, responsibility for tax collection and liability for deficits gradually made their position difficult. It became a hereditary and compulsory service for the class that became known as curiales. In the army a decurio was an officer in command of a squadron of cavalry. He was also the officer in charge of headquarters troops.