was the name given to the bills which were put up amongst the Romans, giving notice of the time when a show of gladiators would be exhibited, with the number of combatants, and other circumstances. This was called manus pronunciare or proponere.—These bills were sometimes termed edicta. These public notices were given by the person who designed to oblige the people with the show, and were frequently attended with pictures representing the engagement of some celebrated gladiators. This custom is alluded to by Horace, lib. ii. sat. vii. 96, &c.

There was also the famosus libellus, a defamatory libel. Seneca calls them contumaciae libelli, infamous rhymes, which by a Roman ordinance were punishable with death. Libellus also in the civil law signifies the declaration, or state of the prosecutor's charge against the defendant; and it has the like signification in our spiritual courts.