Romes most powerful part of the government. It controlled public finances and foreign affairs, assig

1
Romes most powerful part of the government. It
controlled public finances and foreign affairs,
assigned military commands and provinces, and
debated and passed laws that would be submitted
to the assemblies for final ratification
2
Patrician Vs. Plebeian

• c.494 471 B.C. Plebs leave Rome, strike, and
  form own assembly (Council of Plebs), given power
  to elect tribunes and Plebeian Aediles. Brought
  Plebeian concerns to government attention, and
  tribunes also won right to veto govt. decisions
  on Plebian affairs.
• c.450 445 B.C. Law of the Twelve Tables (1st
  codification of Roman Law), patrician and
  plebeian allowed to intermarry
• c.367 300 B.C. Plebeians eligible for
  consulship, later that 1 of 2 consuls had to be
  Pleb, 1 of 2 censors had to be Pleb, ½ of
  priesthood had to be Pleb.
• c.287 B.C. All measures/laws passed in the
  Council of Plebs had the force of law for all of
  Rome.

3
Magistrates

• Imperium- Highest political authority, which
  included the right to command an army, to
  interpret and carry out the law, and to pass
  sentences of death.
• Consuls- The top 2 government officials, headed
  the army and ran the government. Served one year
  terms, couldnt be reelected for 10yrs.
  Proposed and administered legislation, served as
  generals in military campaigns, and represented
  Rome in foreign affairs. Could Veto each other.
• Dictator- 1 person appointed by the Consuls for
  up to 6 months in times of emergency when the
  constitution was suspended, when the emergency
  ended, the Dictator would step down.

4
Magistrates cont.

• Proconsul- When terms of office ended, consuls
  usually governed the more important provinces,
  especially those requiring large military forces,
  under the title of Proconsul.
• Praetors- 8 officials, key role was to interpret
  the law, and serve as judges in law courts, but
  also had other civic duties such as keeping tax
  records, handling public finances, supervising
  public festivals...
• propraetor- former praetors, governing the less
  significant provinces.
• Censors- 2 officials elected every 5 years for
  terms of 1½ years revised lists of senators and
  equestrians conducted census of citizens.

5
Magistrates cont.

• Adiles 4 officials who supervised public places,
  public games, and the grain supply in the city of
  Rome 2 were required to be plebeians, and the
  other two (who had more status) could come from
  either order.
• Tribunes- 10 officials who had to be plebeian,
  because they protected the rights of plebeians.
  tribunes could veto the act of any magistrate and
  stop any official act of administration.
• Qaestors- looked after finances of state treasury
  and had duties in the provinces when elected
  quaestor, a man automatically became eligible for
  membership in the Senate.