Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Magistratus

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

MAGISTRA'TUS. The office of a magistrate; that is, of any person invested with public authority to administer the law. Thus, during the monarchy, the king; under the republic, the dictator, consuls, censors, praetors, aediles, tribunes of the people, the propraetor and proconsul, as well as the decemviri litibus judicandis, had each magisterial authority.

2. A magistrate; the title given to any of the officers mentioned in the preceding paragraph, but who were also divided into the following classes, distinguished by a name descriptive of the rank or position which each enjoyed. 1. Majores; chief magistrates elected at the comitia centuriata, including consuls, censors, and praetors. 2. Minores; inferior magistrates appointed at the comitia tributa, viz. aediles, tribunes, and decemvirs. 3. Curules; curule magistrates, who were entitled to the honour of a sella curulis, comprising dictators, consuls, praetors, censors, and curule aediles. 5. Plebeii; who were originally only chosen from plebeian families; viz. the plebeian aediles and tribunes of the people. 6. Ordinarii, who held office for a fixed period, as the consuls for one year. 7. Extraordinarii, who were only appointed upon particular occasions, and for an uncertain period, like the dictator.