Consul

  • Two Consuls were elected annually during the Roman Republic and shared the leadership of the Republic. They were the Highest Legal Authority in Roman Law.
  • The Consuls were the Supreme Commanders of the Roman Army and were given two Legions each in the event of War. They could Veto Decisions made by any other Magistrate or by the Praetor Urbanus.

Duties of the Consul under the Roman Republic

  • Election
    • Two Consuls were elected annually by the Comitia Centuriata and served from the first of January until the end of December. The position was part of the Cursus Honorum.
    • A Minimum age of 42 (40 for Patricians) was established by the Lex Villia in 180 BCE. They were the most prestigious Civil Servant.
    • A Consul was escorted by 12 Lictors, he held Imperium and wore the Toga Praetexta.
      • The year was named after the two Consuls, ie “in the Consulship of…”
      • They could not stand for a second term of Office as Consul within 10 years.
  • Duties
    • The Consuls were the Supreme Commanders of the Roman Army and were given two Legions each.
    • They created the Political Agenda for Rome.
    • They acted as Chairman of the Roman Senate and alternated monthly.
  • Imperium
    • With their Consular Imperium, They were the Highest Legal Authority and could Veto Decisions made by any other Magistrate or by the Praetor Urbanus.
  • Right to Veto
    • They held the Right to Veto a decision by any Magistrate, the Praetor Urbanus or fellow Consul.
    • Their decisions could only be Vetoed by a fellow Consul, the Tribune of the Plebs, or Laws passed by the Senate or the Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council or Popular Assembly) or, during a Crisis, a Dictator or Magister Equitum.
  • System of Checks and Balances restricting his Power
    • The Consul had to win an election by the Comitia Centuriata one of the People’s Assemblies.
    • The Office was limited to 12 months duration only.
    • They could not stand for re-election for a 10 year period.
    • The Two Consuls could not Rule without each other’s consent, as one could veto the other’s decisions.
    • The Consul’s decisions could be vetoed by the Tribune of the Plebs
    • They could be overruled by laws passed by the Concilium Plebis or Popular Assembly.
  • Proconsul
    • Proconsul means ‘in place of the Consul’.
    • Once having served as Consul, he could become the Governor of a Roman Province.
    • Under the Empire, the Governor of an Imperial Province was chosen directly by the Emperor and would be given Command of a Frontier Province with one or more Legions.

Duties of the Consul under the Roman Empire

  • Imperium was transferred to the Emperor
    • Proconsulare Maius
      • Augustus was awarded Imperium Proconsulare Maius meaning ‘Power over all the Proconsuls’, which legally authorised him to override Provincial Governors authority.
      • This enabled the Emperor to retain the Power of Imperium over the City of Rome, as well as over all the Propraetor and Proconsul Governors of the Provinces.
    • Consular Imperium
    • Supreme Commander
      • The Emperor was Supreme Commander of the Roman Army.
    • Princeps Senatus
    • Consuls
      • The Two Consuls of Rome were still appointed every year until the end of the Empire, but their role was administrative, as the Emperor held all executive power.

Fasti Capitolini Consulares et Triumphales

  • The Fasti Capitolini Consulares et Triumphales is a list of all the Roman Consuls between 483 to 19 BCE, and includes the triumphators starting from the the founding of the city of Rome in 753 BCE.
  • It was discovered during the 16th century CE and is now in the Palazzo dei Conservatori in Rome. It may have adorned the Arch of Augustus which was built in 19 BCE.

 

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