The Senate

Gathered in the curia, on the roman forum, it is a permanent assembly composed by 300 members until Sulla (82 BC), who are ancient curule magistrates. Senators are easily recognizable thanks to their purple-edged toga, said ‘laticlava’ (« broad strip »). The Senate is an assembly of mature and rich men (46 years at least), even if, from 318 BC. on, plebeians may enter it. The Senate gives advices on every thing concerning the State, including laws from 339 BC on. It controls finances and foreign policy. He listens to the reports of the magistrates, controls public works and decides the levy and the distribution of the troops.

The executive : the magistrates

They are renewed and elected every year by the comitia centuriata or tributa, to which they are accountable. Will be distinguished the ‘normal’ magistracies and the other ones.

The ‘normal’ magistracies

In this group, we may distinguish upper magistracies and lower ones. The first ones owns the imperium, right of life and death.

The upper magistracies

The consuls
The two consuls convoke and chair the Senate and the comitia, have laws executed, care to the levy of the troops and command the armies. The consuls may also choose a dictator in case of « danger for the state » or for some special tasks (a religious ceremony or organizing an election).

The praetors (two from 241 BC on, 4 during Punic wars)
They are responsible of justice and may replace the consuls in commanding an army.

The lower magistracies

Elected every year by the comitia centuriata or tributa, they have no imperium and may even be pursued while in office.

The aediles

They are four, including two elected by the sole plebeians. These last ones are sacred. They care to the police, control the roads department, the supplying to Rome, and organize official games and events.

The quaestors

They are financial officers, guardians of public treasury, located in the temple of Saturne. They are in charge of the financial inquiries and of are responsible of the management of fines. The quaestorate is ‘the’ beginning of career office.

The special magistracies

The censors

Former consuls, the two censors are elected by the comitia centuriata every five years for a 18 months term. They register the citizens according their wealth, control the classes, recruit the Senate and watch the morality. They are sacred.

The tribunes of the plebs

Five in 493 and 10 in 471 BC, they are elected every year by the comitia tributa of the Plebs which they are the sole authorized to convene. They are inviolables and have the right of veto on consuls and praetors’s acts. They are the other important power next to the consuls.

The dictator

In special circumstances, he is appointed by the consuls for a six months term, with full powers. He then has all the powers of every other magistrates, except these of the tribunes of the plebs, who however cannot veto the dictatorial acts.

The promagistrates

From the 2nd century BC on, former consuls or praetors are appointed by the Senate to rule a province. According their previous office, they are called ‘proconsuls’ or ‘propraetors’.

Sextus Apollonius Scipio