Plebeian Council

The Roman Republic ( Res Publica Romana ) distributed the governance formally on three separate meetings, the Comitia Centuriata, the Comitia Populi tributa and the Concilium Plebis. Unlike in modern parliaments bodies for a legislature, jurisdiction and choice of law has been in these combined, on the other hand they had the ability to change laws retroactively (ex post facto). The Roman Senate, however, was a consultative chamber, and had no legislative or judicial power, but still had a great influence on the political process.

The Concilium Plebis was - as the Comitia Populi tributa - a tribal assembly, but only of the plebeians to the exclusion of all patricians, who also were unable to attend the meetings. Only the tribunes of the people ( Tribuni plebis ) could convene the council Plebis; it usually met in comitium in the Roman Forum. Patrician senators watched the meeting often from the steps of the Curia Hostilia and tried from here, to influence the tribunes. The Concilium Plebis was the preferred legislature of the Republic, although technically its laws plebiscite - referendums - were called. It chose the plebeian Aedile ( aediles plebis ) and the tribunes of the people, and conducted trials until the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla established the permanent courts.

The Senate, however, only, however, was the de facto influence of the Senate so large that the incumbent President in accordance with the " advice " proceeded adopted senatus consulta, recommendations for action by the officials, so had no formal legal power to grant incumbents instructions. From 133 BC there was the - inside politically controversial - Senatus consultum ultimum with which the Senate for the right, took the decision to equip the incumbent with elevated privileges and powers conferred by the Senate declared a state of emergency.

The Concilium Plebis was not bound by the recommendations of the Senate and could vote down - for example in Jugurthine war, as the senatus consultum was issued to extend the term of office of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus as commanding general, the of the Concilium Plebis with the appointment Gaius Marius rejected - or complementary: while Caesar was appointed by resolution of the people's Assembly to the proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum, he Gallia transalpina was given by senatus consultum.

During his consulship in 88 BC Sulla issued a series of additional gear Corneliae that changed the political structure of the Republic radically. His third law forbade the Concilium Plebis and the Comitia Populi tributa to discuss laws that had not been introduced by senatus consultum. His fourth law structured the Comitia Centuriata so that the first class, the senators and the most powerful knight, had nearly half the votes. His fifth law undressed both tribal gatherings, Concilium Plebis and Comitia Populi tributa, their legislative functions, so that all the legislation in the Comitia Centuriata was. The tribal meetings were thus limited to the election of certain magistrates and the direction of negotiations - but which could not be taken without authorization by a senatus consultum.

These reforms were made by the populares, led by Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna reversed, introduced by Sulla during his dictatorship rei publicae constituendae again, and again exposed after his death. They represent one of the most far-reaching interventions in the constitution of the Roman state, both in the Republic and the Principate dar.

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199557
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