Legal Definitions - centumviri

Definition: Centumviri (sen-tuhm-vee-rye) is a Latin term that means "hundred men." It refers to a court in ancient Rome that had the power to hear important cases, especially those related to inheritances and disputed wills. Originally, the court was made up of 105 judges, with three judges from each of the 35 tribes.

One example of a case that the centumviri court might have heard is a dispute over a wealthy person's will. If the will was unclear or if someone felt they were unfairly left out of the will, they could bring the case to the centumviri court to decide who should inherit the property.

Another example might be a case involving the inheritance of a family business. If there were multiple heirs who all wanted to take over the business, the centumviri court could decide who was the rightful owner.

These examples illustrate how the centumviri court had the power to make important decisions about property and inheritance. They were a crucial part of the Roman legal system and helped to ensure that disputes were resolved fairly.