Aediles, officers of the Roman Republic, corresponding approximately to directors of public works and exercising some police powers. The aediles supervised the maintenance (including fire-fighting) and repair of the temples, public buildings, streets, sewers, and aqueducts of the city of Rome; supervised the public markets; regulated weights and measures; directed the public games; and maintained public order.

The office was founded in 494 BC with the establishment of two aedileships to be held by members of the plebeians, or common people. They were elected annually by the plebeians. In 367 BC two additional aediles, known as curules aediles, were installed in office. Until the 2nd century BC the curule aedileships rotated on a yearly basis between patricians (privileged land aristocrats) and plebeians. Julius Caesar, himself a former curule aedile, installed two more plebeian aediles in 44 BC. Known as ceriales, they oversaw the grain supply.

Traditionally, the aedileship was the second magistracy, following the quaestorship in the career of Roman politicians. In the last years of the Republic the office was sought by ambitious politicians because it provided opportunity for building up a public following. Under the empire the office lost its importance, and by AD 235 it had disappeared.[1]