DEPONTA´NI SENES
DEPONTA´NI SENES a name given to men sixty years of
age, hence called
sexagenarii, because they
were freed from the obligation of voting in the comitia; that is, of passing
over the bridges (
pontes) which led into the saepta,
[p. 1.618]where the voting took place. [
COMITIA p. 508
a.] This is the most probable explanation of the
word; and it is doubtful whether men of sixty years of age were absolutely
deprived of the franchise, though this was the case if we accept literally
the statement that they were thrust back from voting, “de ponte
dejiciebantur” (Fest. pp. 75, 334, M.). Some ancient writers
supposed that the name
depontani and reference to a
barbarous custom of antiquity, that men of sixty years of age were thrown
down from the
pons sublicius into the Tiber, but
this interpretation was repudiated by Varro and Verrius. (Fest.
ll. cc.; Varr. ap. Non. p. 523;
Cic. Rosc. Am. 35, 100;
Ov. Fast. 5.623; Macrob. 1.5; Plut.
Quaest. Rom. 32.
[
W.S]
