ÆDILE, ædilis, in Roman antiquity, a magistrate whose chief business was to superintend buildings of all kinds, but more especially public ones, as temples, aqueducts, bridges, &c. To the ædiles likewise belonged the care of the highways, public places, weights and measures, &c. They also fixed the prices of provisions, took cognizance of debauches, punished lewd women, and such persons as frequented gaming houses. The custody of the plebiscita, or orders of the people, was likewise committed to them. They had the inspection of comedies and other pieces of wit; and were obliged to exhibit magnificent games to the people, at their own expense, whereby many of them were ruined. At first the ædiles were only two in number, and chosen from among the common people; but these being unable to support the expense of the public shows, two more were created out of the patrician order: these last took upon themselves all the charges of the games, and were called Ædiles Curules or Mayores, as the two plebeians were denominated Minores. Julius Cæsar, in order to ease these four, created two others, who were called Ædiles Cereales, as having the inspection of all manner of grain committed to their care. There were also ædiles in the municipal cities, who had much the same authority as those in Rome.