1. One of ten magistrates or officials in ancient Rome, especially one of the ten men who drafted the Twelve Tables (the earliest Roman law code).
Usage: historical; often used in plural form 'decemvirs'

Examples

• The decemvirs were appointed to create a written code of laws for the Roman Republic.
• In 451 BCE, the decemvirs drafted the Twelve Tables, which became the foundation of Roman law.
• The power of the decemvirs was eventually limited by popular opposition.
• Ancient historians recorded the actions of the decemvirs in detail.
• The decemviral commission represented an early attempt at codifying Roman legal principles.