tabellarius

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

tăbellārĭus, a, um, adj. [tabella], of or belonging to tablets, i. e.,

I (Acc. to tabella, II.A.) Of or pertaining to writing or to letters.

A Adj. : naves, vessels to carry letters , packet-boats , Sen. Ep. 77, 1. — Hence,

B Subst.: tăbellārĭus , ii, m., a lettercarrier , courier : epistulam, quam attulerat Phileros tabellarius, Cic. Fam. 9, 15, 1; 10, 31, 4; 15, 18, 2; id. Phil. 2, 31, 77; id. Prov. Cons. 7, 15; Cass. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 12, 1; Liv. 45, 1, 6 al.—

II (Acc. to tabella, II. B.) Of or relating to voting-tablets : lex, regulating voting : sunt enim quattuor leges tabellariae, quarum prima de magistratibus mandandis, ea est tabellaria Gabinia, etc., Cic. Leg. 3, 16, 35; id. Sest. 48, 103; Plin. Ep. 3, 20, 1.