dŭŏvir, vĭri, and usu. plur. dŭŏvĭri (less correctly dŭumvĭri, Zumpt, Gram. § 124; Krebs, Antibarb. p. 391; in MSS. and Inscr. usu. II. vir, II. viri; but, DVOVIRES, Inscr. Orell. 3808: DVOVIRI, ib. 3886, v. infra), ōrum, m. [du + vir], a Roman board or court consisting of two persons.
I Perduellionis, an extraordinary criminal court , the duumviri , anciently selected by the kings or the people for each case as it arose; so in the trial of Horatius, Liv. 1, 26; of M. Manlius, id. 6, 20; of C. Rabirius, Cic. Rab. Perd. 4, 12; v. Mommsen, Hist. 1, 204.—
II Sacrorum, the keepers of the Sibylline books , Liv. 3, 10, 7; 5, 13, 6; cf. Dion. Hal. 4, 62 (afterwards decemviri and quindecimviri were elected for this purpose; cf. Liv. 22, 10, 9; Lact. 1, 6, 13); v. Mommsen, Hist. 1, 240.—
III Navales, an extraordinary board created for the purpose of equipping fleets , Liv. 9, 30, 4; id. 40, 18, 8; id. 41, 1, 2 sq.; v. Mommsen, Hist. 1, 531; 4, 136. —
IV Ad aedem faciendam (dedicandam, locandam), the duumviri for building or dedicating a temple , Liv. 7, 28, 5; id. 22, 33, 8.—In the sing.: duumvir, Liv. 2, 42, 5; id. 35, 41, 8; 40, 34, 5 sq.—
V The highest board of magistrates in the municipia and colonies , Cic. Agr. 2, 34, 93; Caes. B. C. 1, 23; id. ib. 1, 30; Inscr. Orell. 2540: QVINQVENNALES, ib. 3882 sq.: IVRI DICVNDO, ib. 3805 sq.—In the sing.: DVOVIR, ib. 3813 sq.; 4982; also ib. 3886 (Momms. 1956).—
VI VIIS EXTRA URBEM PURGANDIS, officers who had the charge of the streets of the suburbs of Rome , Tab. Heracl. 1, 50 ed. Göttling.