Contio
A contio, plural contiones, was a public assembly in ancient Rome. It was a gathering of Roman citizens called together by a magistrate, usually to address a specific issue or to propose legislation. Unlike the comitia, which were formal assemblies for voting, a contio was primarily a forum for oratory and discussion. Magistrates would use contiones to inform the populace about current events, explain their policies, or seek public opinion before a vote in a comitia.
During a contio, a magistrate would speak from a rostra, a platform in the Forum. Citizens would