Publicanus decumam post aestimationem exigit.

Latin usually shows this through case endings, not mainly through word order.

• publicanus ends in -us, which here is nominative singular → the subject
• decumam ends in -am, which here is accusative singular → the direct object
• exigit is the verb → he collects / exacts

So:

• publicanus = the one doing the action
• decumam = the thing being collected

Even if the words were rearranged, the endings would still show their roles.

Because it is the subject of the sentence.

The nominative is the normal case for the person or thing that does the action of the verb. In this sentence, the publicanus is the one who exigit.

So:

• publicanus = nominative singular
• function: subject

A native English speaker may expect word order to do this job, but in Latin the ending is the main clue.

Because it is the direct object of exigit.

The verb exigere can take a direct object: someone collects or demands something. Here, the thing being collected is decumam.

So:

• decuma = a tithe, literally a tenth
• decumam = accusative singular
• function: direct object of exigit

English often uses position after the verb to show the object, but Latin usually marks it with the accusative ending.

Decuma literally refers to a tenth part, and in many contexts it means a tithe or a tenth paid as tax.

In Roman contexts, especially with taxation, it can refer to the tenth portion collected from produce. So this is not just any number ten, but specifically a taxed tenth or tithe.

That is why a translation may use tithe, tenth, or tenth-tax, depending on context.

Because it follows the preposition post, and post takes the accusative when it means after.

So:

• post = after
• aestimationem = accusative singular of aestimatio

Together:

• post aestimationem = after the assessment / valuation

This is a very common Latin pattern: certain prepositions regularly govern a particular case, and post is one of the prepositions that takes the accusative.

Here it means something like assessment, valuation, or appraisal.

In this sentence, post aestimationem suggests that the collection happens after the value has been assessed. Depending on context, that assessment could be of goods, produce, or taxable value.

So the phrase is functioning as a time expression: it tells you when the tax collector collects the tithe.

Exigit is:

• present tense
• active voice
• indicative mood
• third person singular

from the verb exigere.

So it means:

• he exacts
• he demands
• he collects

The ending -it tells you it is third person singular in the present tense for this verb.

Because Latin often places the verb at or near the end of the sentence, especially in straightforward prose.

That said, Latin word order is much more flexible than English word order. The ending on each word tells you its grammatical job, so the sentence could be rearranged without losing the core meaning.

For example, these would still mean basically the same thing:

• Publicanus decumam post aestimationem exigit
• Decumam publicanus post aestimationem exigit
• Post aestimationem publicanus decumam exigit

The choice of order can affect emphasis, but not the basic grammatical relationships.

It is placed naturally between the object and the verb, but its main role is simply to add circumstantial information: when the action happens.

Latin often puts prepositional phrases in positions that feel stylistically balanced. Here:

• Publicanus = subject
• decumam = object
• post aestimationem = time phrase
• exigit = verb

So the sentence unfolds as:

The tax collector — the tithe — after the assessment — collects

That is a very normal Latin arrangement.

Because Classical Latin has no definite article like English the, and no indefinite article like a/an either.

So:

• publicanus can mean the tax collector or a tax collector
• decumam can mean the tithe or a tithe
• aestimationem can mean the assessment or an assessment

Which one is best in English depends on the context. Translators often add the because it sounds more natural in English.

Not always in the simple modern sense. Publicanus often refers more specifically to a tax farmer, someone involved in collecting revenue under contract from the Roman state.

In beginner translations, tax collector is often used because it is easier and usually close enough. But historically, publicanus can carry the more specific Roman meaning of a private contractor for public revenue.

So tax collector is fine as a learning translation, but tax farmer may be more precise in some contexts.

No. Exigere has a range of related meanings, including:

• drive out
• demand
• exact
• collect
• complete / spend in some contexts

In this sentence, because the object is decumam and the subject is publicanus, the sense collects or exacts is the natural one.

This is common in Latin: the exact English translation depends strongly on the surrounding words.

Not exactly a single adverb, but it functions adverbially.

That means the phrase tells us more about the action of the verb, especially when it happens:

• exigit = collects
• post aestimationem = after the assessment

So it is a prepositional phrase with an adverbial function of time.

Yes. Since Latin words often cover a wider range than a single English word, several translations may be reasonable, such as:

• The tax collector collects the tithe after the assessment.
• The tax farmer exacts the tenth after the valuation.
• The publican demands the tithe after the appraisal.

The basic grammar stays the same, but the English wording may shift depending on how literal, historical, or natural you want the translation to be.