triumviri capitales

from Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
TRIUMVIRI CAPITALES or TREVIRI or TRESVIRI, Rom, civ. law. Officers who had 
charge of the prison, through whose intervention punishments were inflicted. 
Sallust in Catalin. They had eight lictors to execute their orders. Vicat, 
ad voc. 
    

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