The Legislative Assemblies of the Roman Kingdom were political institutions in the ancient Roman Kingdom. While one assembly, the Curiate Assembly, had some legislative powers,[1] these powers involved nothing more than a right to symbolically ratify decrees issued by the king. The functions of the other assembly, the Calate Assembly, was purely religious. During the years of the kingdom, the People of Rome were organized on the basis of units called curiae (singular curia).[1] All of the People of Rome were divided amongst a total of thirty curia,[1] and membership in an individual curia was hereditary. Each member of a particular family belonged to the same curia. Each curia had an organization similar to that of the early Roman family, including specific religious rites and common festivals.[1] These curia were the basic units of division in the two popular assemblies.[2] The members in each curia would vote, and the majority in each curia would determine how that curia voted before the assembly. Thus, a majority of the curia (sixteen out of the thirty total curia) was needed during any vote before either the Curiate Assembly or the Calate Assembly.
The Curiate Assembly (Comitia Curiata) was the only popular assembly with any political significance during the period of the Roman Kingdom,[1] and was organized on the basis of the thirty curiae.[3] The king presided over the assembly, and submitted decrees to it for ratification.[3] An interrex presided over the assembly during interim periods between kings (the interregnum). After a king died, the interrex selected a candidate to replace the king.[4] After the nominee received the approval of the Roman Senate, the interrex held the formal election before the Curiate Assembly. After the Curiate Assembly elected the new king, and the Senate ratified that election, the interrex then presided over the assembly as it voted on the law that granted the king his legal powers (the lex curiata de imperio).[4]
On the kalends (the first day of the month), and the nones (the fifth or seventh day of the month), this assembly met to hear announcements.[3] Announcements often dealt with matters such as the exact date of a future event (such as an upcoming kalends) or any upcoming intercalary months. Appeals heard by this assembly often dealt with questions concerning Roman family law.[5] During two fixed days in the spring, the assembly was scheduled to meet to witness wills and adoptions.[3] All other meetings were held on an as-needed basis.[3] The assembly also had jurisdiction over the admission of new families to a curia, the transfer of families between two curiae, the transfer of individuals from plebeian to patrician status (or vice versa), or the restoration of citizenship to an individual.[3] The assembly usually decided these matters under the presidency of the Pontifex Maximus.[2] Since this assembly was the principal legislative assembly,[1] it was (theoretically) responsible for ratifying laws.[3] However, the rejection of such laws by the assembly did not prevent their enactment. Sometimes, the Curiate Assembly reaffirmed a king's legal authority (called imperium), and sometimes it ratified a decision to go to war.[3]
Calate Assemblyedit
The Calate Assembly (Comitia Calata) was the oldest of the Roman assemblies. Very little is known about this assembly. The Calate Assembly met on the Capitoline Hill,[6] and was also organized on the basis of the thirty curiae. The purpose of this assembly was not legislative or legal, but rather religious. The Pontifex Maximus presided over the assembly, and it performed duties such as inaugurating priests and selecting Vestal virgins.[6]
Ihne, Wilhelm. Researches Into the History of the Roman Constitution. William Pickering. 1853.
Johnston, Harold Whetstone. Orations and Letters of Cicero: With Historical Introduction, An Outline of the Roman Constitution, Notes, Vocabulary and Index. Scott, Foresman and Company. 1891.
Cicero, Marcus Tullius (1841). The Political Works of Marcus Tullius Cicero: Comprising his Treatise on the Commonwealth; and his Treatise on the Laws. Translated from the original, with Dissertations and Notes in Two Volumes. By Francis Barham, Esq. London: Edmund Spettigue. Vol. 1.
Polybius (1823). The General History of Polybius: Translated from the Greek. By James Hampton. Oxford: Printed by W. Baxter. Fifth Edition, Vol 2.
Taylor, Lily Ross (1966). Roman Voting Assemblies: From the Hannibalic War to the Dictatorship of Caesar. The University of Michigan Press (ISBN0-472-08125-X).
Mommsen, Theodor. Roman Constitutional Law. 1871-1888
Tighe, Ambrose. The Development of the Roman Constitution. D. Apple & Co. 1886.
Von Fritz, Kurt. The Theory of the Mixed Constitution in Antiquity. Columbia University Press, New York. 1975.
A. Cameron, The Later Roman Empire, (Fontana Press, 1993).
M. Crawford, The Roman Republic, (Fontana Press, 1978).
E. S. Gruen, "The Last Generation of the Roman Republic" (U California Press, 1974)
F. Millar, The Emperor in the Roman World, (Duckworth, 1977, 1992).
A. Lintott, "The Constitution of the Roman Republic" (Oxford University Press, 1999)
Primary sourcesedit
Cicero's De Re Publica, Book Two
Rome at the End of the Punic Wars: An Analysis of the Roman Government; by Polybius 2007-02-05 at the Wayback Machine
Secondary source materialedit
What a Terrorist Incident in Ancient Rome Can Teach Us
April 12, 2024
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The Legislative Assemblies of the Roman Kingdom were political institutions in the ancient Roman Kingdom While one assembly the Curiate Assembly had some legislative powers 1 these powers involved nothing more than a right to symbolically ratify decrees issued by the king The functions of the other assembly the Calate Assembly was purely religious During the years of the kingdom the People of Rome were organized on the basis of units called curiae singular curia 1 All of the People of Rome were divided amongst a total of thirty curia 1 and membership in an individual curia was hereditary Each member of a particular family belonged to the same curia Each curia had an organization similar to that of the early Roman family including specific religious rites and common festivals 1 These curia were the basic units of division in the two popular assemblies 2 The members in each curia would vote and the majority in each curia would determine how that curia voted before the assembly Thus a majority of the curia sixteen out of the thirty total curia was needed during any vote before either the Curiate Assembly or the Calate Assembly Contents 1 Curiate Assembly 2 Calate Assembly 3 See also 4 Citations 5 References 6 Further reading 6 1 Primary sources 6 2 Secondary source materialCuriate Assembly editSee also Curiate Assembly nbsp Growth of the city region during the kingdomThe Curiate Assembly Comitia Curiata was the only popular assembly with any political significance during the period of the Roman Kingdom 1 and was organized on the basis of the thirty curiae 3 The king presided over the assembly and submitted decrees to it for ratification 3 An interrex presided over the assembly during interim periods between kings the interregnum After a king died the interrex selected a candidate to replace the king 4 After the nominee received the approval of the Roman Senate the interrex held the formal election before the Curiate Assembly After the Curiate Assembly elected the new king and the Senate ratified that election the interrex then presided over the assembly as it voted on the law that granted the king his legal powers the lex curiata de imperio 4 On the kalends the first day of the month and the nones the fifth or seventh day of the month this assembly met to hear announcements 3 Announcements often dealt with matters such as the exact date of a future event such as an upcoming kalends or any upcoming intercalary months Appeals heard by this assembly often dealt with questions concerning Roman family law 5 During two fixed days in the spring the assembly was scheduled to meet to witness wills and adoptions 3 All other meetings were held on an as needed basis 3 The assembly also had jurisdiction over the admission of new families to a curia the transfer of families between two curiae the transfer of individuals from plebeian to patrician status or vice versa or the restoration of citizenship to an individual 3 The assembly usually decided these matters under the presidency of the Pontifex Maximus 2 Since this assembly was the principal legislative assembly 1 it was theoretically responsible for ratifying laws 3 However the rejection of such laws by the assembly did not prevent their enactment Sometimes the Curiate Assembly reaffirmed a king s legal authority called imperium and sometimes it ratified a decision to go to war 3 Calate Assembly editThe Calate Assembly Comitia Calata was the oldest of the Roman assemblies Very little is known about this assembly The Calate Assembly met on the Capitoline Hill 6 and was also organized on the basis of the thirty curiae The purpose of this assembly was not legislative or legal but rather religious The Pontifex Maximus presided over the assembly and it performed duties such as inaugurating priests and selecting Vestal virgins 6 See also editRoman Kingdom Roman Republic Roman Empire Roman Law Plebeian Council Centuria Curia Roman consul Praetor Roman censor Quaestor Aedile Roman Dictator Master of the Horse Roman Senate Cursus honorum Byzantine Senate Pontifex Maximus Princeps senatus Interrex Promagistrate Acta SenatusCitations edit a b c d e f Abbott p 18 a b Byrd p 33 a b c d e f g h Abbott p 19 a b Abbott p 14 Abbott p 15 a b Lintott p 49References editAbbott Frank Frost 1901 A History and Description of Roman Political Institutions Elibron Classics ISBN 0 543 92749 0 Byrd Robert 1995 The Senate of the Roman Republic U S Government Printing Office Senate Document 103 23 Lintott Andrew 1999 The Constitution of the Roman Republic Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 926108 3 Further reading editIhne Wilhelm Researches Into the History of the Roman Constitution William Pickering 1853 Johnston Harold Whetstone Orations and Letters of Cicero With Historical Introduction An Outline of the Roman Constitution Notes Vocabulary and Index Scott Foresman and Company 1891 Cicero Marcus Tullius 1841 The Political Works of Marcus Tullius Cicero Comprising his Treatise on the Commonwealth and his Treatise on the Laws Translated from the original with Dissertations and Notes in Two Volumes By Francis Barham Esq London Edmund Spettigue Vol 1 Polybius 1823 The General History of Polybius Translated from the Greek By James Hampton Oxford Printed by W Baxter Fifth Edition Vol 2 Taylor Lily Ross 1966 Roman Voting Assemblies From the Hannibalic War to the Dictatorship of Caesar The University of Michigan Press ISBN 0 472 08125 X Mommsen Theodor Roman Constitutional Law 1871 1888 Tighe Ambrose The Development of the Roman Constitution D Apple amp Co 1886 Von Fritz Kurt The Theory of the Mixed Constitution in Antiquity Columbia University Press New York 1975 The Histories by Polybius Cambridge Ancient History Volumes 9 13 A Cameron The Later Roman Empire Fontana Press 1993 M Crawford The Roman Republic Fontana Press 1978 E S Gruen The Last Generation of the Roman Republic U California Press 1974 F Millar The Emperor in the Roman World Duckworth 1977 1992 A Lintott The Constitution of the Roman Republic Oxford University Press 1999 Primary sources edit Cicero s De Re Publica Book Two Rome at the End of the Punic Wars An Analysis of the Roman Government by Polybius Archived 2007 02 05 at the Wayback MachineSecondary source material edit Considerations on the Causes of the Greatness of the Romans and their Decline by Montesquieu The Roman Constitution to the Time of Cicero What a Terrorist Incident in Ancient Rome Can Teach Us Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Citizens 27 assemblies of the Roman Kingdom amp oldid 1189190141, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
