CURULE CHAIR, Sella Curulis, in Roman antiquity, the chair of state used by the chief magistrates. Those who were entitled to this honour were the dictator, the consuls, praetors, chief aediles, and censors; as were also the flamen dialis, and those whom the dictator deputed to act under himself, as for instance the magister equitum. Under the empire, this mark of honour was extended also to some others. The appellation of magistratus curules distinguished those magistrates who were entitled to use the sella curulis from all the rest, who were called non-curules. When the curule magistrates proceeded to council, this chair was placed in a chariot (currus); from which circumstance it received its name. It appears to have been of various forms; but that generally used was a stool or seat without a back, covered with leather, and supported on four curved legs, each pair of which crossed each other somewhat in this manner. It was likewise so constructed that it might be folded like a camp-stool, for the convenience of carriage. It appears that from the earliest times it was adorned with ivory; and hence Horace calls it curule ebur. Sometimes we find the epithet alta applied to it, because it was frequently placed on a tribunal, or as being the emblem of dignity; and also that of regia, because it was first used by the kings, who appear to have borrowed it, along with the other insignia of royalty, from the Etruscans. In later times it was overlaid with gold, and elaborately adorned.