Roman Assemblies

In Ancient Rome there were three People’s Assemblies (Comitia). They could not Propose or Debate Legislation.
They met to vote on proposals in draft Bills that had been debated in the Senate, but the Assemblies could not themselves debate the Bills, only accept or reject them.

Voting was oral and in Public, then in the late Republic it changed to a secret ballot. For a Bill to pass it simply required a straightforward majority of votes.
The Three Assemblies included the entire population of the citizens of Rome. This gave the citizens three separate votes, the value of which varied with each type of Assembly.

Comitia Curiata
- Assembly of the Curiae.
- Ceremonial Function. The oldest Assembly and conferred powers on senior magistrates.
Comitia Centuriata
- Assembly of the Centuries or Military Assembly.
- The most important Assembly as it elected senior magistrates and enacted the Twelve Tables.
Comitia Tributa
- Assembly of the Tribes.
- It handled routine legislation and elected lesser magistrates.
- Concilium Plebis
  - The Plebeian Assembly was part of the Comitia Tributa, presided over by the Tribune of the Plebs. It became the usual method of the passing of Laws in the Late Republic.