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September 26, 2006

Livy on the Roman Senate

Roman Senate


During the regal period, King Tullus Hostilius built the Curia Hostilia, the Roman Senate building.


Because it was a templum -- a consecrated place, it was oriented north/south, like other temples in Rome.

The first king, Romulus, created the original Senate to serve as an advisory staff. Later, the senators' powers became extensive, although they did not write laws: Senators handled treaties, alliances, war, and more. During the early period their numbers increased from 100-300. Once senators assumed office, they were there for life, unless kicked out. Once a Roman held a magisterial office, he became a senator. Thus, insofar as the magistracies were elected offices, senators were elected, but they were not directly elected to be senators.

Read relevant passages on the ancient history of the Roman Senate and Senators from Livy.

Posted by NS Gill at 08:33 PM |

August 06, 2006

Praetor

When the Romans deposed their last king, the power of the king or imperium was given to the consuls, except for the judicial power, which was given to the praetor.
Thus, the praetor urbanus (city praetor) originally had a military function, but became a civil judge. In 241 B.C. a second praetor (praetor peregrinus) was added to deal with cases involving foreigners. By 80 B.C., there were 8 praetors. During the Empire, the praetors had charge of the festivals and games.
Praetors were annually elected by the comitia centuriata.
The position of praetor was part of the cursus honorum, second only to the position of consul. Like the other magistracies, being a praetor made the magistrate a member of the senate for life, unless the censor decided otherwise.

Posted by NS Gill at 08:44 AM |

August 05, 2006

Aedile

During the Roman Republic, 4 aediles were elected each year. There were 2 curule aediles and 2 plebeian aediles.

  • An Aedile was a magistrate who looked after the city of Rome, its corn supply, municipal regulations, and games.
  • The Concilium Plebis elected plebian aediles, while the Comitia Tributa annually picked curule aediles.
  • The office of aedile came between quaestor and praetor in the cursus honorum.
  • It was not necessary to become aedile in order to advance to the next step, yet Julius Caesar thought it advisable to run for the office. (He was elected.)

Although a work of historical fiction, Benita Kane Jaro's 2002 book on Cicero, The Lock, contains a clear explanation of the aedile, why people might want to become aedile, as well as clear pictures of the other offices on the Cursus Honorum. In more scholarly format, Erich S. Gruen also discusses this magistracy in The Last Generation of the Roman Republic.

Posted by NS Gill at 07:32 PM |

February 13, 2006

Curule Aedile

Curule Aedile

One of the jobs of a curule aedile was to put on the expensive Roman Games (Ludi Romani). The person of the curule aedile was sacrosanct and he had other perks that made the financial burden well worth it.

Posted by at 09:03 PM |

February 03, 2006

Consuls

Consuls of Rome

Below you'll find a list of the Roman consuls from the start of the Republic to A.D. 68. Normally there were two consuls who were appointed each year by the comitia centuriata. A suffect consul replaced a man who died in office or resigned.

Posted by at 07:37 PM | | TrackBacks (0)

January 25, 2006

Aedile

Aedile - Roman Offices

According to the William Smith dictionary, the name aedile may come from the word for temple or shrine, aedes. It may also come from the function as market superintendent, according to Jona Lendering.

Posted by at 11:32 AM |