Reforms to the Senate & Equites
Reaction to the Second Settlement, 23 BC
19 BC: Allowed Augustus to wear consul's insignia in public and in the Senate and was allowed to sit in the symbolic chair between the two consuls and hold the fasces, which was an emblem of consular authority.
18 BC: Proconsular power renewed for a further five years after end of ten-year
agreement from First Settlement.
August made Agrippa almost co-regent through the renewal of the award of proconsular power and the award of
tribunician power.
18 BC: Proconsular power renewed for a further five years after end of ten-year
agreement from First Settlement.
August made Agrippa almost co-regent through the renewal of the award of proconsular power and the award of
tribunician power.
Government by Committee
Roads Commission from 20 BC
Temples and Public Buildings
Aqueducts after 12 BC
Banks of the Tiber circa 15 AD
Economy Commission from 6 AD
Rome's Food Supply
Extortion Court 4 BC
Committee of Consulars on Foreign Affairs
Temples and Public Buildings
Aqueducts after 12 BC
Banks of the Tiber circa 15 AD
Economy Commission from 6 AD
Rome's Food Supply
Extortion Court 4 BC
Committee of Consulars on Foreign Affairs
Changes to the Senate's Functions
- The powers to suppress foreign or profane religious rites continued.
- The rights of making war & peace, and to negotiate with foreign powers were taken away. However, Augustus sometimes referred foreign embassies to the Senate in unimportant matters.
- Authority of the Senate in Italian affairs remained.
- Governorship of settlements agreed in First Settlement of 27 BC continued.
- Affairs of Rome initially under Senate control but incompetence led to the take-over of affairs by Augustus.
- The Senate was established as a permanent court of justice with the consul acting as the presiding judge.
- The rights of making war & peace, and to negotiate with foreign powers were taken away. However, Augustus sometimes referred foreign embassies to the Senate in unimportant matters.
- Authority of the Senate in Italian affairs remained.
- Governorship of settlements agreed in First Settlement of 27 BC continued.
- Affairs of Rome initially under Senate control but incompetence led to the take-over of affairs by Augustus.
- The Senate was established as a permanent court of justice with the consul acting as the presiding judge.
Elections
- Senate had no voice in the election of magistrates.
- Augustus held the right of commendation so could appoint individuals to fill certain offices.
- Augustus nominated only the number of candidates that matched the number of positions available.
- Candidates did not run for office without Augustus' approval.
Pflaummer describes that Augustus "crystallized the symbols of rank and status, thus increasing social prestige for many elite Romans, though their actual political power was lessened".
- Augustus held the right of commendation so could appoint individuals to fill certain offices.
- Augustus nominated only the number of candidates that matched the number of positions available.
- Candidates did not run for office without Augustus' approval.
Pflaummer describes that Augustus "crystallized the symbols of rank and status, thus increasing social prestige for many elite Romans, though their actual political power was lessened".
Reforms to the Equites
Limits were set on the conditions of becoming an equite:
- each candidate must have three generations of free-birth.
- minimum property qualification of 400,000 sesterces.
- could earn equestrianship through judicial or military service.
When an equestrian finished military service, they could now enter government as a 'procurator', who was a financial agent of Augustus serving in all Augustian provinces and Senatorial provinces that had financial interests for Augustus. The best of these could rise to wither govern key provinces, such as Egypt, or to the command of the fleet/ the watch/ the corn supply/ the Praetorian Guard. Some were even appointed to become Senators and a few even served as consuls.
- each candidate must have three generations of free-birth.
- minimum property qualification of 400,000 sesterces.
- could earn equestrianship through judicial or military service.
When an equestrian finished military service, they could now enter government as a 'procurator', who was a financial agent of Augustus serving in all Augustian provinces and Senatorial provinces that had financial interests for Augustus. The best of these could rise to wither govern key provinces, such as Egypt, or to the command of the fleet/ the watch/ the corn supply/ the Praetorian Guard. Some were even appointed to become Senators and a few even served as consuls.
Administrative Roles for the Equites
- 12 BC, Agrippa's 240 hydraulic-engineer slaves became the water department and served under an equestrian prefect.
- Established a board to prevent the flooding of the Tiber.
- Grain board established in 6 AD to secure grain supplies to Rome.
- Fire department with six cohorts of 1,000 slaves each was set-up under equestrian prefects, known as 'vigilum'.
- Postal service emerged through equites who could afford to run and maintain horses.
- Established a board to prevent the flooding of the Tiber.
- Grain board established in 6 AD to secure grain supplies to Rome.
- Fire department with six cohorts of 1,000 slaves each was set-up under equestrian prefects, known as 'vigilum'.
- Postal service emerged through equites who could afford to run and maintain horses.
Suetonius"He divided the area of the city into regions and wards, arranging that the former should be under the charge of magistrates selected each year by lot, and the latter under "masters" elected by the inhabitants of the respective neighbourhoods."
"Since the number of the senators was swelled by a low-born and ill-assorted rabble (in fact, the senate numbered more than a thousand, some of whom, called by the vulgar Orcivi, were wholly unworthy, and had been admitted after Caesar's death through favour or bribery) he restored it to its former limits and distinction by two enrolments, one according to the choice of the members themselves, each man naming one other, and a second made by Agrippa and himself. On the latter occasion it is thought that he wore a coat of mail under his tunic as he presided, and a sword by his side, while ten of the most robust of his friends among the senators stood by his chair. He adopted the plan of privy councils chosen by lot for terms of six months, with which to discuss in advance matters which were to come before the entire body." "On questions of special importance he called upon the senators to give their opinions, not according to the order established by precedent, but just as he fancied, to induce each man to keep his mind on the alert." "He introduced that the proceedings of the senate should not be published; that magistrates should not be sent to the provinces immediately after laying down their office; that a fixed sum should be allowed the proconsuls for mules and tents, which it was the custom to contract for and charge to the State; that the management of the public treasury should be transferred from the city quaestors to ex-praetors or praetors." "To enable more men to take part in the administration of the State, he devised new offices: the charge of public buildings, of the roads, of the aqueducts, of the channel of the Tiber, of the distribution of grain to the people, as well as the prefecture of the city, a board of three for choosing senators, and another for reviewing the companies of the knights whenever it should be necessary. He appointed censors, an office which had long been discontinued. He increased the number of praetors. He also demanded that whenever the consulship was conferred on him, he should have two colleagues instead of one; but this was not granted, since all cried out that it was a sufficient offence to his supreme dignity that he held the office with another and not alone." "To enable senators' sons to gain an earlier acquaintance with public business, he allowed them to assume the broad purple stripe immediately after the gown of manhood and to attend meetings of the senate; and when they began their military career, he gave them not merely a tribunate in a legion, but the command of a division of cavalry as well; and to furnish all of them with experience in camp life, he usually appointed two senators' sons to command each division." "He reviewed the companies of knights at frequent intervals, reviving the custom of the procession after long disuse." "At the elections for tribunes if there were not candidates enough of senatorial rank, he made appointments from among the knights, with the understanding that after their term they might remain in whichever order they wished." |
Res Gestae Divi Augusti “I increased number of patricians and revised the
senatorial roll 3 times” (29 BC) States that: 700 senators served under standards and 170 served as priests. |