The Roman Government

“Each constitution has a vice engendered in it and inseperable from it”
Kingship – despotism
Aristocracy – Oligarchy
Democracy – “The savage rule of violence”

The Roman Government
 Consuls: public affairs, control all magistrates except tribunes, introduce embassies
to the senate, summon assemblies, introduce measures, see-over execution of
popular decrees.
o Military: almost ultimate control.
 Make demands on allies
 Appoint military tribunes
 Selection and tax imposition of soldiers

 Power to spend any sum of money from the public funds with accompaniment by a
quaestor who executes this
 Punishment of those under command

The senate
 Control of the treasury, revenue and expenditure
 Quaestors pay the consuls with whatever money they require, but are not solitarily
allowed to pay out for something without approval of the Senate.
 Expenditure used for public works (constructions or repairs) under strict control of
the Senate.
 Jurisdiction of the Senate: crimes, assassination attempts, treason, conspiracy…
o Responsible for the dispatch of embassies for the following purposes:
 Establishing relationships
 Offering “friendly advice”
 Imposing demands
 Declaring war

What power is left for the people?
 Confer honours
 Inflict punishment
 Approving/rejecting laws
 Deliberate on Q of war and peace
 Ratify the signing/dissolution of treaties

“Thus here again one might plausibly say that the people’s share in the government is the
greatest, and that the constitution is a democratic one.”

How do the different components of the Roman government interact with one another?
 Consuls require support of the people and the senate and cannot operate without
them, as legions require constant supplies and without consent from the economic
control of the senate, nothing can be provided for.