Quaestor

The quaestor ( Germanized Bursary ) was the lowest official of the senatorial career in office ( cursus honorum ) of the Roman Republic. Quaestors elected by the people for one year (until the beginning of the Empire ).

Antiquity

Originally Quaestors were assigned to the consuls as assistants. This function still existed in the high imperial period, as each consul had two quaestores consulis. Over time, the remit of Quaestors was extended, and in addition to working as an examining judge, they were also responsible for the administration of the State Treasury, the collection of taxes and rents and the care of the National Archives. During the imperial period the Quaestors were also responsible for the orientation of the gladiatorial games. Analogous to the quaestores consulis there was at this time also two quaestores Augusti, read aloud the words of the Emperor in the Senate.

With the expansion of the duties of Quaestor their number was increased. Initially it was only two, so was their number since 421 BC, four, two of which were assigned to the consuls, two remained in Rome ( quaestores urbani ). Since 267 BC there were four more Quaestors to manage the fleet. Since the establishment of several provinces quaestor was assigned to the governor of each, so that their total number was further increased. Sulla she stated on 20, Caesar doubled their number to 40 Augustus reduced the number of Quaestors again on 20th

The minimum age for the clothing of the bursary was set at 30 years since Sulla, Augustus lowered it to 25 The Bursary was a prerequisite for the performance of duties as kurulischer aedile (usually by patricians ), plebeian aedile (only plebeians ) or as a tribune of the people (only plebeians ). After the clothing of the Bursary you were normally received in the Senate since Sulla.

During the imperial period the office lost rapidly in importance and eventually disappeared. In late antiquity, there was probably of Constantine the Great established office of quaestor sacri palatii. This was a kind of " Minister of Justice " of the emperor and did not have much in common with the Republican treasurer.

Quaestors gave it as a municipal public official in many provincial cities of the Roman Empire.

Modern Times

Until the 20th century, the financial department of German universities was called Bursary. Its head was the Bursar. In Austria, Switzerland and partly in earlier belonging to Austria - Hungary countries, eg Czech Republic and Slovakia as kvestor, this official title has survived to the present. In Austria, this designation is required by law at universities.

Quaestors shall be elected in the European Parliament also, members of the Bureau and have an advisory role. You are entrusted in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Bureau for administrative and financial matters directly concerning Members.

In Italy, even the police headquarters is called questura ( Bursary ) today.