le, the Romans should not
elect from among the Sabines a king devoted exclusively to their own
interests, but one who was at the same time acceptable to the Sabines.

When, perhaps after several generations of a separate existence, the two
states became united, the towns ceased to be towns, and the collective
body of the burghers of each became tribes, so that the nation consisted
of two tribes. The form of addressing the Roman people was from the
earliest times _Populus Romanus Quirites_, which, when its origin was
forgotten, was changed into _Populus Romanus Quiritium_, just as _lis
vindiciae_ was afterward changed into _lis vindiciaruum_. This change is
more ancient than Livy; the correct expression still continued to be
used, but was to a great extent supplanted by the false one. The ancient
tradition relates that after the union of the two tribes the name
_Quirites_ was adopted as the common designation for the whole people;
but this is erroneous, for the name was not used in this sense till a
very late period. This designation remained in use and was transferred
to the plebeians at a time when the distinction between Romans and
Sabines, between these two and the Luceres, nay, when even that between
patricians and plebeians had almost ceased to be noticed. Thus the two
towns stood side by side as tribes forming one state, and it is merely a
recognition of the ancient tradition when we call the Latins _Ramnes_,
and the Sabines _Tities_; that the derivation of these appellations from
Romulus and T. Tatius is incorrect is no argument against the view here
taken.

Dionysius, who had good materials and made use of a great many, must, as
far as the consular period is concerned, have had more than he gives;
there is in particular one important change in the constitution,
concerning which he has only a few words, either because he did not see
clearly or because he was careless. But as regards the kingly period, he
was well acquainted with his subject; he says that there was a dispute
between the two tribes respecting the senates, and that Numa settled it
by not depriving the Ramnes, as the first tribe, of anything, and by
conferring honors on the Tities. This is perfectly clear. The senate,
which had at first consisted of one hundred and now two hundred members,
was divided into ten _decuries_, each being headed by one, who was its
leader; these are the _decem primi_, and they were taken from the
Ramnes. They formed the c