Decemviri
The decemviri or decemvirs (Latin for "ten men") refer to official 10-man commissions established by the Roman Republic. The most important were those of the two Decemvirates, formally the "decemvirate with consular power for writing laws" () who reformed and codified Roman law during the Conflict of the Orders between ancient Rome's patrician aristocracy and plebeian commoners. Other decemviri include the "decemviri adjudging litigation" (), the "decemviri making sacrifices" (), and the "Decemviri Distributing Public Lands" (). Decemviri consulari imperio legibus scribundis Background Gaius Terentilius Harsa, a plebeian tribune, wished to protect the plebeian population by curtailing the power of the Roman consuls. To do this, he proposed a law in 462 BC which provided for a five-man commission to define their power. The patricians were opposed to this curtailment and managed to postpone the debate on this law for eight years. In 454 BC the plebeian tribunes dropped their pursuit of this law. They asked the senate to “consent to the appointment of a body of legislators, chosen in equal numbers from plebeians and patricians to enact what would be useful to both orders and secure equal liberty for each”. The patricians replied that this was worthy of consideration,