CENSOR, in Roman antiquity, a magistrate, whose business it was to reform the manners, and to value the estates of the people.
There were two censors first created in the 311th year of Rome, upon the senate's observing that the consuls were generally so much taken up in military actions as to have no leisure to attend to private affairs. At first they were chosen out of the senate, but after the plebeians had got the consulate open to them, they soon arrived at the censorship.
After the censors were elected in the comitia centurialia, they proceeded to the capitol, where they took an oath not to manage either by favour or disaffection, but to act equitably and impartially through the whole course of their administration: and, notwithstanding their great authority, they were obliged to give an account of their management to the tribunes and adiles curules. In process of time, the dignity of this office dwindled very much; under the emperors it sunk to
nothing, as their majesties engrossed all the branches of that jurisdiction. The republic of Venice has at this day a censor of manners of their people, whose office lasts six months.