Censor

• The Censor was a Roman Magistrate with the power to supervise the Census, Public Morality (Regimen Morum) and some Government Finances.
• His power was absolute and his decisions could only be overruled by the next Censor. The modern meaning of Censor and Censorship is derived from this Roman Office.

History of the Office of Censor

• The Office of Censor was first introduced by Servius Tullius (c.575-535 BCE), the sixth King of Rome.
• Under the Roman Republic (509-27 BCE), the two Consuls were responsible for the Office of Censor until 443 BCE.
• Between 443-22 BCE, two Magistrates were elected to become Censores.
• From 22 BCE, Augustus assumed the responsibilities of the Censor, as did all subsequent Roman Emperors.

Duties of the Censor under the Republic

• Election
  • Censor was the next step in the Cursus Honorum after Consul, and it was considered very prestigious.
  • Two Censors were elected every five years and the Office was held for 18 months. They assumed Office the moment they were elected.
  • The Censors did not hold Imperium and were not entitled to Lictors, but they did wear the Toga Praetexta.

• Electoral Duties
  • The Censors were responsible for holding a regular Census of the Population and allocating them into voting classes by income and by Tribe.
  • They enrolled new citizens into Tribes and voting classes.
  • They were responsible for the Membership List of the Senate, adding new Senators (or removing disgraced ones until Sulla ended this right).

• Financial Duties
  • The Censors were in charge of State Contracts being put out to Tender.
  • They were in charge of Leasing and auctioning conquered Lands.
  • They were in charge of the construction of Public Buildings.

Duties of the Censor under the Empire

• Augustus acquired the Office of Censor and some of the Powers.
• This enabled him as Roman Emperor to supervise public morals, censor the Laws if they were not in the public interest, hold a Census and accept members to the Senate or expel them.