Schema of Roman Government

 

The major magistracies or political offices were elected independently for one-year terms by the people:

 

Senate: membership was not de facto hereditary; senators were not paid. Membership replenished annually by principal magistrates of that year who were then entitled to seats for life once they had held office. Only those of senatorial family entitled to stand for election to higher magistracy (usually praetorship or consulship). Business customarily dominated by consulares (ex-consuls), and the nobiles (nobles), i.e. those whose family included soemone who had served as a consul or held some other curule magistracy

Only advisory body, could only be convened by consul. Could not pass laws (leges), only resolutions (senatus consulta). Before a bill could be introduced to one of the constitutional assemblies, a magistrate was expected to bring it before the senate for debate. Although a tribune could veto senatus consulta, the senate could always find some religious excuse to get past it.

Also supervised the aerarium or treasury and held all magistrates responsible for expenditures. Conduct of foreign affairs responsibility of Senate. Also had power to allot ex-magistrates as provincial governors (called proconsuls or propraetors, depending on office they had just held), thus in effect extending their term of office

Consuls and praetors: elected for one-year terms; all had imperium or right to command an army

Aediles, tribunes and quaestors had potestas or magisterial power

Most citizens could not seek office.

Praetors: essentially had judicial duties and presided over civil and criminal courts

Curule aediles: chosen by comitia tributa

Plebeian aediles: chosen by concilium plebis

Both types of aediles were essentially municipal officers

10 tribunes: elected by concilium plebis: convened, chaired and introduced legislation to that body (not to be confused with military tribunes)

20 quaestors: financial responsibilities, in Rome and in provinces; assisted consuls and proconsuls

cursus honorum (order of a typical political career, though not everyone ultimately achieved a consulship): quaestor (ca. age 30) - aedile or tribune (36) - praetor (39) - consul (42)

The Assemblies

assemblies consisted of all freeborn adult male citizens and freedmen

Voting took place by groups rather than by individuals: a majority within the group determined the vote of that group. Each group had only one vote even though the size of the groups might vary considerably. Were not deliberative bodies; they could only vote, not emend or change. Opportunities to vote limited by wealth (you had to travel to Rome to cast your vote) and size of city: in late republic city could accomodate only 70,000 voters

Comitia curiata: only certain religious and public and private law functions

Comitia centuriata: elected consuls [who were proposed as candidates by other senators], praetors and censors; convened by consul or praetor

Comitia tributa: legislative and judicial. Convened and chaired by consuls, praetors or curule aediles; elected curule aediles, quaestors and lesser magistracies. 24 days between presentation of bill and vote on it

Concilium plebis: linked to comitia tributa. Elected its own officers, tribunes and plebeian aediles