Proconsul (Rome)

See also: Proconsul

The function of proconsul in the ancient Rome corresponds to the current concept of Gouverneur.

The proconsuls controlled qualified provinces of proconsulaires . This function appears in the Roman republic in IVe front century J.C., when a Consul must finish a military campaign or must control a territory beyond the normal duration of its mandate of consul (one year). Its capacity ( consular Imperium ) is then prolonged, in general for a one year duration and a precise territory, generally a province.

The " term; proconsul" is due to the fact that he exerted a consular power, but the latter were not inevitably of former consuls. The proconsuls were selected among former magistrates having already held the imperium , old Préteur S or old Consul S. the province which was allotted to them was drawn with the fate at the time of their election.

Exceptions were possible in the attribution of the provinces: thus in 63 av. J.C, Cicéron renonça with its future mandate of proconsul on the Macedonia, which it yielded to his colleague in order to be made an ally in the business Catilina. In 59 av. J.C, Jules César received three provinces, (Gaulle Narbonnese, Gaulle cisalpine and Dalmatie) for a five years mandate.

From 52 av. J.C, by the Lex Pompeia , a five years deadline is imposed between a magistrature (consulate) and a promagistrature (proconsulat).

Under the Empire, only two senatorial provinces, from their importance and their prestige required as a preliminary to have been consul: the province of Asia and the province of Africa. The other senatorial provinces were directed by a former praetor.

In the accounts and hagiographic Legend S, proconsuls (also called prefect or governor ) direct persecutions against the Christians and chair (like Dacien in Spain and Aquitaine) the martyrdom of many saints of the Catholic church.

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