[ANSTHRLD] RE: Optio

[Christie Ward]

>My Latin dictionary says that <optionis>, m., a  helper, apprentice.
>I didn't find the words <optio> and <optionis> in the 1971 Compact OED.

The word <optio> is a Roman legion rank for a sub-officer to a centurion.  
(nom=optio, gen=optionis, I think).

Notre Dame's online Latin dictionary is horking up hairballs just now, I'll 
look at my dictionaries when I get home.

A big issue for me is, "was <optio> ever used *after* the Fall of Rome?"  
That's going to require someone laying hands on a dictionary of medieval 
Latin.  If I have a chance, I'll run by UT this week and see...

::GUNNVOR::