COMBS, conl-bi, or Ombi, a city of Egypt. COMBREA. coin-bre-a, a town near PaIlan& COMETES, s. A centaur, killed at the nuptials of Pirithaus. z. A son of Thestius, killed in the Calydonian Hunt. COMINIUM, cil-rnin'-i-unz, a town in Sam Commus, cd-nr/n'-I-as, a Roman knight, wrote some illiberal verses against Tiberius. CosicriA, crinvie-i-a, an assembly at Rome for voting on public questions. There were three : the CURIATA, cu-ri-d-ta, in which the votes were given by eu'rie (30), each curia having but one vote (decided by the majority of its members), was the ancient assembly, and con sisted of the then paitri/us, patricians only. The establishment of the Centuriota by King Servius Tullius greatly injured it, but its assent was still required till the Publilia Lex, 339 B.C. After that it declined, but was retained to grant the (supreme military com mand), and legalize arrogatio (adoption).
The CENTURIATA, Ce/C-iiir-i-d-ia, in which the votes were by centur'ice (q. v.), instituted by King Servius Tullius, included all citizens, became superior to the Curiata in 339 B.C., and was the great popular assembly. It (o) elected magistrates, (z) enacted or repealed laws, (3) tried all cases affecting the personal and poli tical privileges of Roman citizens, and (ex cepting once) always met in the Campus Martins. The TRIBUTA, trib-d'-ta (votes by tribes), was confined to plebeians ; it first formally met to try Coriolanus, 491 B.c. ; and was regularly instituted, 471, by tribune Publilius Volaro, who enacted that it should elect all Hebeian magistrates; and, by the Valeria Horatia, 449, Publilia, 339, and Hor tensia, 286, its decrees were made binding on all the people. It also tried cases affecting
the rights and privileges of the plebeians as an order. An assembly of the Ponti Ices to (1) elect and consecrate the Rex Sacrifielus and the Flamines, (2) attest wills, and (3) authorize the renunciation by an heir of certain sacred rites attaching to his property (Detestatio sa cromem), was called the Comitia CAT.ATA, Ciii d-Ecl(SUMMOPled,frOMcif/am).--The auspices were always taken before the meeting, and, if anything untoward occurred during it, it was at once dissolved. The mode of voting was fixed by the TflbelleS'ries Lege: (q. v.). There were numerous enclosures (seta or &ilia) erected for the voters, entered by a narrow Massage (pons), with one opposite for exit. Each voter on entering received two tickets (Sabeice) from a divisor, or diribitor, and deposited the one he approved of in a vase (cis'ta, or iimia) at the inner end of the "oils. If toe vote was affirmative, the ticket was marked V. as you ask) : if negative, A. (anti'poi, I prefer the old state of matters). In criminal trials there were three Conon tickets given, A. (absoevo), C. (conelem'no), and N. L. (Non liq'net, not proven). COMMAGENA, cone-mii-ge-na, a part of Syria, north of Cilicia, running as,far east as the Euphrates. Its capital, was Samosata, where Liman was born.