Roman assemblies

The Roman Republic (Latin: Res Publica Romanorum) vested formal governmental powers in four separate people's assemblies — the Comitia Curiata, the Comitia Centuriata, the Comitia Tributa, and the Concilium Plebis. The Latin Comitia is sometimes rendered in English as Comices.

Senate

Although the permanent Roman Senate passed senatus consulta ("the senate's advice") recommending laws and measures, these were comparable to modern United Nations resolutions, and did not actually carry any force of law — except in the case of the senatus consultum de republica defendenda, the so-called ultimate decree establishing a "pocket dictator" by directing the consuls to "take care that the Republic should take no harm" and in the case of the senatus consultum ultimum a deliberation based on the decree of a tumultus and that often led to the proclamation of a iustitium, meaning "standstill" or "suspension of the law".

Related Topics:
Roman Senate - United Nations - Tumultus

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The former can be seen in the conduct of the Jugurthine War, when the Senate passed a senatus consultum extending Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus's tenure as commander in chief, but the Council of the People passed a plebiscite appointing Gaius Marius in Metellus Numidicus's stead. Although Julius Caesar was named proconsul of Gallia Cisalpina and Illyricum by senatus consultum, he was given Gallia Transalpina by plebiscite.

Related Topics:
Jugurthine War - Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus - Gaius Marius - Julius Caesar - Proconsul - Gallia Cisalpina - Illyricum - Gallia Transalpina

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The second one can be seen in the context of the Hannibal's invasion of Italy. The senatus consultum ultimum called all citizens to take whatever necessary measure to the salvation of the State. Tumultus was an event of a social and political nature requiring exceptional measures. The declaration of a tumultus often led to the proclamation of a iustitium according to which the citizens were called to defend the State, and see that no harm come to it.

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The Senate had also the ability to reinstate the rule of law at the end of the emergency period and restore the imperium of the Republic magistrates. Such was the case after the defeat of Hannibal.

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In political terms, though, the honoured expression Senatus Populusque Romanum (abbreviated as SPQR), often used as an indication for the Roman state, clearly testifies to the general perception that Rome was legitimately ruled by the will of the people (in the assemblies) and the senate, and under their authority by the magistrates. Only when the principate was established -legally within the republic, which was never abolished- did the shift of power to the emperor, no longer a 'temporary' strong man as opposed to the dictator, start to embody the state politically, though never in law, and hence incarnate the maiestas of Rome.

Related Topics:
Principate - Maiestas

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