Lewis & Short

pūblĭcānus, a, um, adj. [publicus].

  1. I. Of or belonging to the public revenue, or to the farming of the revenue: muliercula, the wife of a farmer-general (with an odious secondary meaning), Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 34, § 78.
  2. II. Subst.: pūblĭcānus, i, m.
        1. a. A farmer-general of the Roman revenues, usually from the equestrian order (freq. and class.; syn.: manceps, redemptor), Cic. Planc. 9, 23; id. Rab. Post. 2, 3; id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 11, § 32; Liv. 43, 16; 25, 3; 39, 44: quod publicanus ejus publici nomine vi ademerit quodve familia publicanorum, Dig. 39, 4, 1, prooem. sqq.; Just. 38, 7, 8.
        2. b. In gen., a tax-gatherer, publican, Vulg. Luc. 18, 10.