AEDILE(aedilis), in Homan Antiquity, a magistrate whose chief business was to superintend buildings of all kinds, but more especially public ones, as temples, aqueducts, bridges, &c. To the aediles likewise belonged the care of the highways, public places, weights and measures, &c. They also superintended the markets, fixed the prices of provisions, took cognisance of breaches of decency and public order, and took charge of police matters generally. The custody of the plebiscita, or decrees of the people, and senatus consulta, or decrees of the senate, was likewise committed to them. They had the inspection of theatres and plays, and were obliged to exhibit magnificent games to the people, usually at their own expense, whereby many of them were ruined. They had the power, on certain occasions, of issuing edicts, and by degrees they procured to themselves a considerable jurisdiction. At first there were only two aediles, viz., the aediles of the people, aediles plebeii, or minores. They were first created in the same year as the tribunes, b.c. 494; for the tribunes, finding themselves oppressed with the multiplicity of affairs, demanded of the senate to have officers to whom they might entrust matters of less importance; and accordingly two aediles were created; and henceforward the aediles were elected every year at the same assembly as the tribunes. But these plebeian aediles having refused, on a signal occasion, to continue the great games for four days instead of three, on account of the expense, the patricians made an offer to do it, provided they were admitted to the honours of the aedileship. Accordingly two new aediles were created, from the order of the patricians, in the year of Rome 388. They were called aediles curules, or majores, as having a right to sit on ...