Plebeian Consul

It is usually considered that the first Consul S resulting from the Plèbe are elected after the vote of the Lois licinio-sextiennes in 367 av. J. - C.

Under the Roman Republic, Consul is the title given to both Magistrat S principal elected officials each year by the Romains. The Consul S had all the capacities of the king, except those religious. They were holders of the Imperium , capacity supreme with Rome. The Plèbe is defined in opposition to the Patricien S or later in the Nobilitas : it is the part of the people which oppose the oligarchical organization city.

At the beginnings of the Republic

History of the facts

Between the legendary introduction of the Republic in 509 av. J. - C. and the year 486 av. J. - C. (first year of seizure of the Consul At by the Fabii ), according to the consular Records, there would be many Consul S of plebeian origin , of which most known is Spurius Cassius Vecellinus, three times Consul in 502, 493 and 486 av. J. - C.

The shortly after the fall of the royalty, the Senate and especially both only Magistrat S recover the supreme capacity, and one passes from a monarchical system to a oligarchical system. This change of government benefits only one minority, the new elite: the patriciat. During the first ten years, the wars follow one another, and the first confrontation between the two orders takes place in 495 av. J. - C., around the problem of the debts: the creancians, belonging especially to the senatorial aristocracy and thus to the patriciat, have right to connect, sell like slave or to put at dead the debtors. However many plebeian is heavily in debt, and thus undergoes the law of the patriciat. This opposition leads to the insurection of the Mont Crowned, where the Plèbe gains the right to have representatives, the powerful orators of the plebs, as well as other concessions.

Starting from 485, and until in 470 av. J. - C., it has there no more only one Consul Plébéien. A family, notemment, seizes the Consul At during seven years, and the Patricien S exclude the plebeian from the supreme Magistrat RUE.

According to certain sources. New wars threaten Rome, and the Patricien S yield for the marriages: the Lex Canuliea is voted, and the Consul S hope thus that the people, satisfied, mobilize themselves.

But this success encourages the powerful orators to ask for the right of élir Consul S Plébéien S. the Sénat refuses to yield one second time, and to avoid a new sedition, proposes the creation of the military tribunat to consular capacity, opened with all, and having almost all the capacities of the Consul At, excluded those given to a news Magistrat RUE Patricien, the censures.

Each year, the Senate and the powerful orators decide if one elects Consul S or consular powerful orators, according to the political tensions of the moment. In 433 av. J. - C., the powerful orators of the plebs obtain the election of consular powerful orators instead of Consul S, hoping thus that a Plébéien reaches the supreme Magistrat RUE. But once again, they are Patricien S, by the play of the elections which is favorable for them, which is elected.

The fight continues all along fifth century BC and the beginning of fourth century BC, with more and more often of the consular powerful orators elected. The quaestorship opens with the Plèbe, in 409 av. J. - C., with three Questeur S on four Plébéien S. In 400 av. J. - C., an old man senator Plébéien is named military Tribun with consular capacity, it is a first for the Plèbe. In 379 av. J. - C., it Patricien S there had named as many that of Plébéien S with the consular tribunat.

Victoire of the plebs

After the laws licinio-sextiennes

In 366 av. J. - C., Lucius Sextius Lateranus is the first Plébéien with becoming Consul after the vote of the law which it Co-wrote with Caius Licinius Stolon, which becomes in its turn Consul in 364 and 361 av. J. - C. the Patricien S, after this defeat, the préture and the curule municipal administration crééent which theirs is reserved.

Until 356 av. J. - C., there are systematically a Consul Plébéien and a Consul Patricien. This year, the dictator named is him also Plébéien, a first. During three years, the Patricien S succeed in holding head with the Plèbe and, in spite of the obligation of the election of a Consul Plébéien, both Consul S are Patricien S.

Again in 351 av. J. - C., the Consul At is divided between the two orders, but as of the following year, the patriciat is essential on the Consul At, the powerful orators n the other hand obtaining the election of a Censeur Plébéien, for the first time. It is necessary to await the insurrection of the army with Capoue in 342 av. J. - C., which brings, among other consequences, the final establishment of the Consul At Plébéien.

In 296 av. J. - C., two Patricien S are in string for the Consul At, Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus and Appius Claudius Caecus, and the senatorial aristocracy benefits from it to try to exclude the Plébéien S from the consular elections. The senatorial attempt, carried out by Appius Claudius Caecus fails, and his/her elected colleague is the Plébéien Lucius Volumnius Flamma Violens. After that, there are a division of the candidatures, those for the Consul At Patricien and those for the Consul At Plébéien.

In 215 av. J. - C., the Augure S are opposed to the election of a Consul Plébéien suffect in the place of a Consul Patricien, and finally both Consul S are of different natures, Marcus Claudius Marcellus leaving its place to Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus.

A few years later, in 203 and 202 av. J. - C., both Consul S are Patricien S.

It is necessary to await 172 av. J. - C. so that there are two Consul S Plébéien S: Gaius Popilius Laenas and Publius Aelius Ligus, which will reproduce regularly. One in addition notes that the two following years, in 171 and 170 av. J. - C., the Plébéien S seized the Consulat, then in 167, 163, 153, etc…

End of the Republic and under the Empire

The old distinction between Consul S Patricien S and plebeian falls in disuse as from second century BC For example, at the time of the civil wars of the end of the République, one can note that Caius Marius, born in volsque country like Cicéron, is of origin Plébéien, whereas Sylla is resulting from one of the hurdy-gurdies families born Patricien, the Cornelii , like Jules César, very popular, of the Iulii whereas Pompée is plebeian, and appuit on the Senate.

At this same time, those of the civil wars, one notes sometimes two Consul S Patricien S, in particular in 85 and 84 av. J. - C., two in favor of Caius Marius, Lucius Cornelius Cinna and Gnaeus Papirius Carbo, seize the Consul At. One still twice finds Consul S Patricien S in 46 av. J. - C., with Jules César and Lépide and in 31 av. J. - C., with Auguste and Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus.

Then, there is not so to speak more that plebeian Consul S under the Roman Empire, but that does not have any more a direction to oppose patriciat to the Plèbe, more especially as the last families Patricien born disappear.

See too

Consul

List of the consuls of the Roman Republic

Roman Company

Plebs
Patriciat

Sources

Random links: