Septa, places in the Campus Martius at Rome
enclosed with rails, in which the people were
accustomed to assemble for the purpose of giving
their votes. From the resemblance which they
originally bore to sheep-folds, these septa were
also called oviles. They were thirty-five in
number, one for each tribus or ward. Built at
first of wood, they were afterwards more solidly
constructed, and, under the emperors, shows of
gladiators and other spectacles were occasionally
given in them to the people. -- The septa, as used
for the purpose of collecting the popular suffrages, are seen depicted on denarii of the Cocceia, Hostilia, Licinia, and Mussidia families.
-- v. suis locis.