The Cursus Honorum Part 2 - Moving Up to the Big Job

You start each day with a queue of faithful men lined up at your door to pay homage to yourself. They are your clients, you their patron. Loyal followers that you can call upon in the next election, to cheer your name and vote you into your next public office. In return you'll use your wealth to help them however you can. This is the reward for your many years in public office, and working your way through the Cursus Honorum, recognition as a great man of the Roman Republic.

Roman Procession on the Ara Pacis

Having served your time as a Praetor, and hopefully as a Propraetor in one of the provinces of Rome's burgeoning Mediterranean empire, now is the time to adjust your toga, check you look particularly heroic in the mirror and call your clients to the streets, for its time to run for the pinnacle of your career, the Consulship.

Consul

The Consulship is the highest level of the Cursus Honorum, with an age requirement of 42 years old. With it comes power over the military, control of the Senate, oversight over the judiciary and the most important powers of all; "the veto" literally the ability to say "I Forbid" to any law attempting to be passed, and that of "Imperium" roughly "command" over Rome and her provinces.

There are only two consuls elected each year, alternating who held the power of Imperium each month to prevent anyone getting to ambitious. Two men out of all the members of the Senate (the number of members of the Senate varies back and forth from around 300 to 600 over time) so this really is an honour. Also, to guarantee that your glory will never be forgotten, your name will be given to the year. The most famous example of this, is from Caesar's consulship in 59BC, when after so thoroughly dominating his consular colleague, events were said to have taken place,

"In Caesar's year, not Bibulus', an act took place of late;

For naught do I remember done in Bibulus' consulate"

Suetonius Life of Julius Caesar Chapter 20

Like most of the powers in the Cursus Honorum, the areas that the Consul operated in were divided into military aspects and public affairs, holding supreme authority over the affairs of government within Rome and as the Chief Commander of the Legions once outside it.

The civil responsibilities of the Consul can be succinctly described. You are the chief officer of the Republic with one aim, to keep the republic strong and secure. All other offices of the Republic, the many offices of the Cursus Honorum that you have already held, are now under your control and need the appropriate guidance.

You have the right to convene the Senate and the assemblies and are in charge of sorting and arranging the elections and the passing of laws. Finally, as Consul you are escorted by twelve lictors, each carrying the fasces, a bundle of rods containing an axe. The fasces and lictor bodyguards are a symbol of your power over life and death of a citizen and a visual symbol of your power to all.

Lictors Bearing the Fasces

Your other key role is the military aspect and is that of chief commander of the Roman legions. On a campaign against an enemy of Rome, a Consul had complete authority and could act in the best way he saw fit. However upon your return, as with your earlier job roles, you could be prosecuted in the law courts if you have overly abused your power.

Having completed your single year (the consulship was held for a single year to prevent any abuse of power) as one of the two top men of the Roman republic, it is time to move on to administrating a province.

Proconsul

Upon finishing your term, the Senate will assign you a province to control, granting you Imperium over that area. Flexing your muscles inside another proconsuls province was illegal and serious bad form. Equally you had to stay in your province until your successor arrived, unless you had special dispensation from the senate.

Pompey held a particularly impressive and immense proconsular imperium power, when put in charge of ridding the pirates that plagued the Mediterranean seas.

"For the law gave him dominion over the seas this side of the pillars of Hercules, over all the mainland to the distance of four hundred furlongs from the sea"

Plutarch Life of Pompey Chapter 25

This is a very rare example of an extreme giving of power to deal with an extreme problem, but a normal proconsul held undisputed power in his province during his term. Of course there was always the option to conquer outwards and bring more glory to yourself and the Roman people, a lá Julius Caesar and his campaigns throughout Gaul.

"and for those achievements, upon receipt of Caesar's despatches, a fifteen days' thanksgiving was decreed, an honour that had previously fallen to no man".

Julius Caesar The Gallic War Chapter 35

Having reached the top of the ladder and having heaped glory upon yourself, your families name and your ancestors, you have reached the pinnacle of your life. Now you can choose to retire from public life to one of decadent luxury, perhaps like Lucullus and his famous fish ponds. Or you can continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of Roman politics. Famous figures like Cicero, Pompey and Cato all remained as voices within the Senate, whether for reminding people of their great deeds, the hope to acquire more prestige, or for expunging traditional moral values to anyone who would listen.

So you've done it, take to the streets, here your name of everyone's lips,

"Remember when he throw those games that had three hundred pairs of gladiators?" or maybe "There goes the proconsul that defeated those howling barbarians!" or perhaps, most hopefully they will just chant your name.


Thanks for Reading
James