a person who aspires to some public office. In the Roman commonwealth candidates were obliged to wear a white gown during the two years spent by them in soliciting a place. This garment, according to Plutarch, they wore without any other clothes, that the people might not suspect them of concealing money for purchasing votes, and also that they might the more easily show to the people the scars of those wounds which they had received when fighting in defence of the commonwealth. The candidates usually declared their pretensions a year before the time of election, which they spent in making interest and gaining friends. Various arts of popularity were practised for this purpose, and frequent circuits made round the city, and visits and compliments paid to all sorts of persons; and this was called ambitus.

'CANDIDATI MILITES, an order of soldiers among the Romans, who served as the emperor's body-guards, to defend him in battle. They were the tallest and strongest of the whole army, and the most proper to inspire terror by their appearance. They were called candidati, because clothed in white, either that they might be more conspicuous, or because they were considered as in the way of preferment.