 They had to take care of the temples (whence their title, from the Latin "aedes", "temple"), organize games, and be responsible for the maintenance of the public buildings in Rome.Moreover, they took charge of Rome's water and food supplies; in their capacity as market superintendents, they served sometimes as judges in mercantile affairs.The Aedile was the supervisor of public works; the words "edifice" and "edification" stem from the same root.