THE ROMAN STATE IN OUTLINE

The Roman State in Outline

Please bear in mind that the institutions described are in a constant state of evolution. I have given the final form of the republican machinery (i.e., the formal arrangements in use in the time of Augustus.

The Magistracies

Title	Power	Nr	Duration	Elected by	Functions
Censor	imperium	2	18 mos./5yrs	centuriata	census and social control
Consul	imperium	2	annual	centuriata	leadership in war and peace
Praetor	imperium	8	annual	centuriata	civil jurisdiction
Aedile	potestas	6	annual	conc. plebis	cura urbis
Tribune	potestas	10	annual	conc. plebis	public defense
Quaestor	potestas	16	annual	tributa	finance; aide senior magistrates

Controls on Magistrates

par potestas and veto
annuality of tenure
interval of two years between offices
clearly defined area of competency (provincia)
cursus honorum: magistrates were also senators and, hence, influenced by collective opinion. Approval of fellow senators was crucial to further success.
Funds given by senate and people; accounts reviewed by senate

Assemblies

Name	Organization	Powers
Comitia curiata	all citizens in 30 curiae	in historical period sacral
Comitia centuriata	all citizens in 193 centuries	elects magg. with imperium; decides war and peace
Concilium plebis*	plebeians in 35 tribes	legislates (plebiscita), elects tribunes and aediles
Comitia tributa*	all citizens in 35 tribes	legislates (leges), elects quaestors
* = In the latter republic it is not possible to distinguish between the last; hence historians tend to refer to them as 'the tribal assemblies'.

Senate: Membership is de facto for all former magistrates. Hence, it is the embodiment of executive experience and, by extension, the depository of national tradition. In general, the members of the senate are, in wealth and in patronage, the most powerful men in the state. It is the effective deliberative body of the state. It does not, however, legislate but makes recommendations (senatus consulta) which (for the reasons outlined above, carry a strong moral weight).