Roman Citizens in Action: Elections and Campaigning for Office

Question 1

Explain the role of the consuls

Answer 1

The most important of the magistrates.
-elected 2 consuls each year for a 1 year term
-commanded armies
-was able to summon the comitia centuriata

Question 2

From highest to lowest what was the power structure of the magistrates

Answer 2

1) Dictator, Master of the Horse
2) Censors (2)
3) Consuls (2)
4) Praetors (1-8)
5) Quaestors (2,4..20)

Question 3

What was the role of the Dictator in the Republic

Answer 3

-dictator is an official magistrate of the state that is appointed by the consuls in cases of emergency
- has absolute power that supersedes all other authority; can order consuls if needed
- is a reactionary assignment not something that is laid off waiting for an emergency
- most often appointed in crises when the consuls are unavailable
- can appoint his own assistance called the master of the horse

Question 4

Explain the role of the censors?

Answer 4

-censors conducted the roman census,
-resposible for conducting reviews of lists of citizens and voting tribes
-new citizens in large grants of citizens to a voting tribe
-oversee bidding and conduction on public contracts
-cannot command armies
-oversee citizenship
elected to the centuriata every 5 years
-always 2 censors
-18 months to do duties

Question 5

Explain the role of the Praetors

Answer 5

• originally started as 1 but as Romes power expanded in the 4th century it rose to 8 by 82 BC
• though of as miny consuls, elected for 1 year centuriata
• commands armies
• summons the centuriata
• oversees courts for poisining, embezzlement, if cases merit trial by jury
• THEY ALSO HAVE IMPERIUM, theres is specifically less
• consuls outrank and issue commands to praetors

Question 6

Explain the role of the quaestors

Answer 6

• financial magistrates
• elected as assistance to the consuls on campaigns and pays the soldiers
• they do not have imperium or command armies
• can given a share by consuls but cannot by their own right
• in office for 1 year
• they are elected by the Tributa (much more balanced between wealthy and poor)

Question 7

What is the Curses Honorum

Answer 7

-Known as the race of the offices
-Follows the order of Quaestor 29/Praetors 39/ Consuls 42
-want all 3 roles in office in order to be a recognized prominent senator

Question 8

What are Aediles?

Answer 8

-responsible for various festival and games within the city
-senate offers some money for the events
-aediles can be seen as important to gain popularity with the people by putting on massive festivals

Question 9

What are Plebians?

Answer 9

-plebs are magistrates elected for the plebians
-become main legislative magistrates
-cannot overide but one tribune can beto anything
- these magistrates have power in order to check and balance

Question 10

What are priestly colleges?

Answer 10

-people that hold semi-political p[ositions that are generally active in the other senatorial offices
-these offices are life long
-particular families dominate them, using divine and poltical authority in Rome

Question 11

True or False: The concilum plebis and senate are assemblies where members are voted in

Answer 11

false. the concilum plebis and senate are councils and not assemblys and offer only advice but have massive impacts in swaying the assemblies

Question 12

Which comitia can vote in consuls?

Answer 12

Comitia Centuriata

Question 13

What was the age of Quaestors?

Answer 13

29

Question 14

What was the age of Praetors?

Answer 14

39

Question 15

What was the minumum age of consuls

Answer 15

42

Question 16

Does the senate pass laws?

Answer 16

no they only advise

Question 17

What is the most covetted office in Rome?

Answer 17

Consul

Question 18

What is the Comitia Centuriata?

Question 19

What is the Comitia Tributa?

Answer 19

Tribal assembly dvidid into blocs called tribes both patricians and plebians were allowed to vote. tribe is less aristocratic than the centuriata. the concilium plebis is head of this assemvly

Question 20

What is the Comitia Curiata?

Question 21

What assemblies were organized based on voting tribes where voting continues until enough candidates have a majority

Answer 21

Assembly of Tribes and Plebian Assembly

Question 22

What assembly was organized by census class

Answer 22

Assembly of centuries(comitia centuriata)

Question 23

How does someone win office?

Answer 23

-most important is are the families that you come from and the prestige it carries
- you are not elected on what you are going to do rather than what you have done already (popularity vote)

Question 24

Gloria means?

Answer 24

means glory

Question 25

Dignitas means?

Answer 25

prestige that persists over generations

Question 26

What does Homo Novus mean?

Answer 26

someone who has no consuls among his ancestors
- an example is Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)-consul in 63 BC
- who devloped a political and legal carrer through an extensive support network

Question 27

What does clientela mean?

Answer 27

Patrons and Clients

Question 28

Who was Marcus Tullius Cicero

Answer 28

• A roman citizen that did not come from a prominent family
• was able to come to rome and make a role for himself
• was reliant on personal achievement as a lawyer which brought a ton of poltical networks
• ## clients can repay cicero of his lawyer fees by giving him popularity

Question 29

What is “Ambitus”

Answer 29

The bribery and electoral malractice including physical intimidation and violence

Question 30

What is Collegia?

Answer 30

guilds and associations of craftsmen

Question 31

What is Sodalitates?

Answer 31

associations and fraternities within voting tribes

Question 32

When is the beginning of the Roman year before 153BC?

Answer 32

March 1

Question 33

What date is the beginning of the Roman year after 153 BC

Answer 33

January 1

Question 34

When do the consular elections take place?

Answer 34

July or August