quaestor Latin · revision 18083

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *kʷeh₂-i-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkʷae̯s.tɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkʷɛs.tor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''quaestor''' ''m'' (genitive quaestōris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Old inscriptions spell it ''quaistor'', as in the epitaphs of the Scipios, ''questor'' is a later spelling.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|quaerō|-tor|t1=to seek, inquire]], a contraction of [[m|la|quaesītor|t=investigator]].^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|quaerō]], which he traces to [[itc-pro|*kwai-s-e/o-]] and [[ine-pro|*kʷeh₂-i-|t=to acquire]].^(de Vaan 2008) The titles [[osc|kvaísstur]] and [[xum|kvestur]] are borrowed from Latin.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who uses it of the officials of a foreign city selling captives from the booty: ''ēmit hōsce dē praedā ambōs dē quaestōribus'', “he bought both of these from the quaestors out of the spoils”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By tradition the first quaestors investigated criminal cases under the kings and the early Republic.^(OLD 2012) The name then belonged to a magistrate elected each year, chiefly for financial duties: the keepers of the treasury at Rome and the officers attached to provincial governors and generals (Cicero: ''quī mihi quaestor fuit'', “who was my quaestor”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Under the Empire it was also the emperor's aide who read out his speeches in the senate, and a financial officer of a town or a society.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it meant a creditor, a trustee of church property, a chancery scribe, and a collector of alms or seller of indulgences, “a pardoner”.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''dē quaestōribus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of his own quaestor in Sicily.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus of the emperor's quaestor reading his speech.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(early Rome)'' An [[m|en|investigator]] of criminal cases.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|quaestor]], a Roman magistrate with financial duties, at Rome or with a provincial governor.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The emperor's quaestor, who read his messages to the senate.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A financial officer of a town, a society or a foreign state.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|creditor]]; a trustee of church property; a chancery scribe.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A collector of alms, a [[m|en|pardoner]].^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prōquaestor]]

+ * [[quaestōricius]]

+ * [[quaestōrius]]

+ * [[quaestūra]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quaerō]]

+ * [[quaestiō]]

+ * [[quaestus]]

+ * [[quaesītor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}