The senate under Augustus

Three factors influenced Augustus relationship with the senate
1. Experience of Julius Caesar
  1. JC had hoarded top positions for himself and angered prominent senators
    1. Contrast
      1. Augustus sought to restore dignity and after 23 BC realised need to allow senatorial order too compete for consulship
2. own conservative inclinations
  1. Augustus was a conservative and where possible sought to use republican forms as long as they were efficient
3. need to co-operate in running of the empire
  1. size of the empire was vast and therefore Augustus needed to share the workload with the senate
    1. however
      1. There was never a division of power since Augustus alone had control of the army, but just a share of the work load
What what the senate able to do?
1. Members still held the annual magistracles and military position
2. retained control of the treasury
3. Administered the most peaceful provinces
4. voted honour to Augustus
Augustus relationship with the senate and magistrates
1. Revision of Senatorial Roll
  1. Augustus ateempted to raise the tone of the senate by removing the large number of disreputable characters who had secured through bribery of influence
    1. stop people buying way into senate
  2. 2 revisions took place
    1. 28 BC
      1. from 1000 to 850
    2. 18 BC
      1. 800 men to 600
    3. 10 Bc
      1. possible
    4. when he detected corruption
      1. make senate feel special
2. qualification for membership
  1. traditional- HEREDIARY
    1. who ever had the most money
  2. Augustus
    1. Admitted those who found favour with him from equestrian ranks
      1. run buisness for senate
        good with money
    2. laid down monetary qualifications of 1 million sesterces usually landed wealth and personally assisted some worthy families to raise money
      1. wealth boundry helps people out who are struggling
        gratiude
        gains support
3. Restoration of Dignity and responsibility
  1. attempted to make each sitting more dignified and increased interest in proceedings
    1. ritual wine and incense before seating
    2. increased of fine for non attendance
    3. forbade senators leaving italy without permission
    4. chose speakers at rondom to ensure alertness and avoid 'i agree with last speaker' as senators spoke from most powerful to least
4. fewer sessions
  1. to allow senators to discharges their duties with less inconvenience, reduced the sessions to two a month
  2. senate committee composed of himself, the consul, on from each of the magistrate and fiften senators (chosen by lot every 6 month) prepared business to be submitted to the senate
5. Competition encouraged
  1. retained competition by making consulships more prestigious
    1. become legates / legati propratore over provinces
    2. command armies
    3. direct boards of senators to look at specialised areas
      1. supplies
      2. highways
    4. heard appeals and requests from foreign envoys
6. shortened tenure of consuls
  1. to give more then chance to become senators
    1. shortened consulship from 1 year to 6 months after 5 BC
      1. 1st half of the year, 2 consuls known as consule ordinarii
      2. 2nd half, 2 consul kown as consules suffecti
Augustus relationship with praetors
1. increased responsibility
  1. competition for praetor still keen since selected for military commands
2. increased functions
  1. 2 appointed to manage state treasury
  2. 3 ex- praetors in charge of military treasury
3. made the position more lucrative and appealing
Quaestorshp, aediles and tribunes
1. quaestorship retained importance as basic prerequisite for entry into senate
2. Aediles lost most of traditional functions
  1. corn supply and giving of games lost in 22 BC
  2. up keep of water supply lost to Augustus in 11 BC
3. tribunes
  1. lost ability to propose legislation or use veto to Augustus in 23 BC

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The senate under Augustus

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