| (in ancient Rome) a folding seat with curved legs and no back, often ornamented with ivory, used only by certain high officials. |
| curule chair n. A seat with heavy curved legs and no back, reserved for the use of the highest officials in ancient Rome. Also called curule seat. |
curule chair
a style of chair reserved in ancient Rome for the use of the highest government dignitaries and usually made like a campstool with curved legs. Ordinarily made of ivory, with or without arms, it probably derived its name from the chariot (currus) in which a magistrate was conveyed to a place of judgment; it served early as a seat of judgment. Subsequently it became a sign of office of all higher ("curule") magistrates, or officials, including the consul, praetor, curule aedile (see aedile), dictator, master of the horse, interrex, censor, and, later, the emperor.
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