Apparitor (Nova Roma)

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The word apparitor is a both a comprehensive term for several types of public servants of magistrates, and it is also the term for a generic assistant to a magistrate or higher officer. Apparitores to the central magistrates must be assiduus citizens, but in provinces it is up the governor to decide his own policy in appointing his officers.

Apparitor as a comprehensive term

Apparitores are collectively called the different type of appointed public servants in order to work as assistants to the magistrates and other higher officers. They include the following types, in descending rank:

• Accensus: a personal assistant of the magistrate, advising, counseling, and managing the magistrate's office management
• Scriba: a clerk doing administrative work related to writing, creating documents, or communication
• Praeco: a herald and public crier, attending tasks related to communication, publicity, networking and information, including serving as an interpreter
• Lictor: a bailiff or law enforcement officer, forum police, honor guard at events for the magistrate, a messenger and representative of the magistrate
• Viator: a messenger and bailiff, law enforcement officer contacting, networking, communication and representation, moderation of public forums
• Apparitor: general assistant of a magistrate with nonspecific duties, usually an advisor, personal assistant
• Pullarius: priestly assistant to an augur

Apparitor as a single office

An apparitor "proper" can be appointed by any magistrate having the ius edicendi or by anyone who has been granted this right by any law. An officer with the generic term "apparitor" may receive any type of work assigned to him, but they shall normally be advisors, personal assistants and higher ranking members of the staff.