respectable and illustrious in the first ages of the republic, became excessively odious by the usurpations of Sylla and Julius Caesar; and after the death of the latter, the Roman senate passed a decree abolishing forever the dictatorship in Rome. The dictator, as soon as elected, chose a subordinate officer, who was called his master of horse, magister equitum. This officer was respectable; but he was totally subservient to the will of the dictator, and could do nothing without the express order of the latter. This subordination, however, was some time afterwards removed; and during the second Punic war the master of the horse was invested with a power equal to that of the dictator. A second dictator was also chosen for the election of magistrates at Rome after the battle of Cannae. The dictatorship was originally confined to the patricians; but the plebeians were afterwards admitted to share it. Titus Lartius Flavus was the first dictator, in the year of Rome 253.