Rome's Development of a Constitution (Illustrated History of Ancient Rome

Rome's Development of a Constitution

Upon the overthrow of the monarchy, the Romans set up a republican form of government, whereby the chief executive office was elected by the vote of the people. As the head of the state there were two annually elected officials in power, called consuls, who shared equal power. In times of special need, a single dictator was given full power for a period of six months. A senate composed of 300 nobles, or patricians as they were called in Rome, assisted the consuls, holding their offices for life and having the power to veto or to pass the laws proposed by the general assembly of the people.

Therefore, the power was not actually with the people, but with the senatorial body of nobles. Traditionally, the Roman people were organized into three tribes, but by the end of the third century BC, these had been expanded to 35 tribes. The high priesthood became a public office at an early time, and thus religion remained under the direction of the state.

FThis is how the constitutional development of Rome proceeded: There was a gradual change in the magistracy by the creation of new offices with functions that would fit the needs of an expanding community. Again, there was a long struggle between the patricians and the plebeians or common people, resulting from the desire of the plebeians to place themselves in a position of political, legal, and social equality with the patricians.

By the end of the fifth century BC, the expanding state already had added magistrates whose names will be mentioned briefly: quaestors, acdiles, censors, proctors, and tribunes. In the fourth century BC, more distinctions arose, the most significant were the promagistrates who, like the proconsuls, would serve a second year or longer. This device was necessary because there was a provision that the same office could not be held by an individual until ten years had elapsed. By the close of the fourth century BC, the Roman magistracy had attained the form of government which it preserved until the end of the Republic. Early Roman officials had power, and gained the respect of the public for their authority.

The History of Rome - Part One 743 - 136 B.C.