SUMMARY OF OFFICES

 

POLITICAL OFFICE

NUMBER

 

PRESCRIBED TERM OF OFFICE

POWERS/

AUTHORITY

ELECTED BY:

FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE

consul

2

1 year

imperium

Comitia Centuriata
  1. Commanders of the Army
  2. Conducted elections of the Consulship and Praetorship.
  3. Presided over the meetings of the Senate (although rarely intervened in its proceedings).
  4. Implemented the will of the Senate.

praetor

6 (initially)

8 (Sulla in 88BC, repealled but Caesar returned it to 6 in 49BC)

1 year

imperium

Comitia Centuriata
  • Praetor Urbanus (Urban)
  • Supreme Justice in Rome
  • Could command army
  • Could summon comitia centuriata
  • could legislate

Praetor Peregrinus (alien Praetor)

  • dealt with lawsuits involving foreigners

· issued annual edicts that listed policy for laws.

aedile (curule and plebian)

4 (initially)

6 (Caesar in 49BC)

1 year

potestas

Comitia Tributa

Acted to control domestic operations of the city of Rome:

  1. Maintained the quality of roads in Rome
  2. Regulated Traffic
  3. In charge of Public Structures
  4. Supervised Water Supplies
  5. Administered markets and weights/measures
  6. Arranged public festivals and games.

quaestor

8 (initially)

20 (Sulla in 88BC)

40 (Caesar in 49BC)

1 year

potestas

Comitia Tributa

Financial/Administrative Officials:

  • maintained public records
  • recorded expenses of Roman government and acted as treasurers (controlled the publicani tax collectors?)
  • conducted the funding for military operations
  • supervised distribution/auction of war booty.
  • financial assistants to Provincial governors.

Tribunes (plebian and patrician)

10

1 year

potestas

sacrosanctity

Comitia Tributa (patrician tribune)

Concilium Plebis (plebian tribune)

Defended the lives/property of their electorate (patrician or plebian). Their homes had to be open for asylum since they were secure from personal harm by virtue of sacrosanctity.

Had the right of veto (intercessio) against magistrate elections, decrees and laws/actions of the Senate and Magistrates.

Supervised the election of their successors.

Censors

2

18 months, but elected every 5 years. (i.e. there were periods when no censors were in office).

potestas

Comitia Centuriata
  1. Conducted census
  2. Prosecuted individuals who lied during in census about property holdings
  3. Controlled public morals (although Caesar held Prefectura Morum without being Censor)
  4. Prepared roll of Senators
  5. Supervised leasing of Ager Publicus
  6. Auctioned government tenders and contracts

table adapted from Bradley, P. Ancient Rome: Using Evidence,(1995) Edward Arnold, Melbourne.

NOTE: the Censors and Tribunes were NOT part of the Cursus Honorum, although it was a requirement that all Censors held the post of Consulship

 

Cursus Honorum

-the cursus honorum was a series of political advancements in the Roman republic.

-a ladder of positions that you had to hold before moving up a rung on the ladder.

Consul

-there were two consuls; one could veto the other’s actions.

-the consuls were usually patricians.

-consul was the highest position that you could get attain.

-head of armies.

-held imperium power, which was the highest authority.

-controlled the senate.

-had twelve lictors that carried the symbol of imperium, fasces (a bundle of rods).

Praetor

-there were six praetors.

-they were the "judicial branch."

-also held imperium power.

-had six lictors that held the symbol of imperium.

Quaestor

-there were eight quaestors.

-appointed by assemblies.

-keep track of finances and public records.

 

Bibliography

Ong, Greg. "The Roman Republican System." 1998. 10 March 2002 http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/cursus.html.