National assemblies were an important institution of power in ancient Rome. In the course of the development of his statehood, they took different forms. They were called comitia. Such meetings made primary government decisions regarding domestic and foreign policy. In addition, comitia was a place where passions seethed between different classes that fought with each other.
The concept of comitia
According to the lexical meaning of the word, comitia in ancient Rome are public assemblies. State laws stated that the so-called activities that received legal status. That is, they were opposed to spontaneous gatherings of the population.
The comitia in ancient Rome are gatherings organized by the magistrate to put any socially important issue to the vote. In this sense, this ancient phenomenon is very similar to the Slavic veche. However, this definition does not cover all types of comitia (there were three in total). The authorities could also organize a popular assembly in order to simply announce their decision.
The appearance of comitia
Tracing the history of ancient statehood, it can be determined that comitia in ancient Rome is primarily an institution that arose during the tribal system. This feature is extremely important as it explains the authority and structure of the assembly. The first appeared chicken comitia, the name of which came from the word "curia". From the most ancient times, all Romans divided into these administrative parts. The basis of such a ranking was belonging to a particular genus.
Until the VI century BC. e. chicken comitia were the only ones in Rome. The established order was changed by King Servius Tullius. Before his reform, voting rights in comitia belonged only to the patricians - representatives of the most noble and influential families of the city. It was connected with traditions. In Latin, the word "people" meant a collection of people with citizenship - that is, almost always influential patricians.
The first national meeting
The commissions to which the members of the curiae were invited could only be convened by the ruler of Ancient Rome. If he was absent in the capital, and the authorities needed to know the opinion of the patricians, this function passed to the prefect. In addition to representatives of noble families, in Rome at that time there was another important estate. These were clients - free citizens who voluntarily passed under the patronage of their patron, thus becoming dependent on him. These city residents did not have the right to vote on comitia, but they could attend them as spectators.
The royal assemblies of the tsarist period had the important function of electing a new ruler. When the monarch died, interrex - extraordinary magistracy - was elected. This was done by lot among the most distinguished citizens. Interrex, in turn, convened comitia in ancient Rome. This delegation of authority was to occur no later than five days after the death of the king. Finally, the popular assembly determined who was destined to become the next ruler.
Chicken Elections
The very first comitia in Rome collected votes only from the curiae, and not personally from citizens. Each genus had to make its choice after an internal discussion. The curia had one vote (there were 30 curia in all in Rome). The news of the convening of comitia was spread throughout the city by heralds or lictors - government officials who were carrying out important orders of the magistrate. Since there was no regulation that could at least somehow determine the course of the general vote, the classic lot was used. With the help of him, the queue was agreed upon by the curiae.
It is important to emphasize that the then comitia did not have the right to propose any own initiative. They could only accept or reject offers of power. In the jurisdiction of the people, according to such a system, there was a decision on the election of kings and magistrates, the adoption of new laws, the declaration of peace or war, as well as the death penalty for citizens of Rome. In the case of determining the new ruler, candidates were selected by interrex. Curia in the same way chose priests (flamins). That is, comitia is also an instrument for regulating the religious life of Roman society.
Century Voting
Tsar Servius Tullius decided to get rid of the previous legislative order. He abandoned the chickens and created new - centuriate - comitia, the main unit of which became the centuries - military units in the Roman army. For the first time, the plebeians, ordinary citizens of that ancient society, got the right to vote . They were equated with the patricians. In order to vote, a man had to meet two requirements. First, only one who knew how to handle weapons could become an elector. Secondly, natives of the plebs should, in their welfare, comply with the framework set by the special property qualification.
Thus, centuriate comitia founded by Servius Tullius in the VI century BC. e., were able to unite the disparate parts of ancient Roman society and smooth out the contradictions between them. In total, at different times in the capital there were almost 200 centuries. Each military unit voted in turn. When in one "camp" more than half of the centuries were recruited, the question was removed from the vote and an appropriate decision was made.
Functions of Century Comitia
Since centuriate comitia are primarily meetings on a military basis, they were convened in a special area where army exercises and gymnastics exercises were held. It was the famous Field of Mars. The battle red flag fluttering on the Capitol served as a sign of the convocation of the meeting. Century comitia was an extremely important body. It was they who adopted most of the Roman laws. This popular assembly agreed on whether to declare peace and war on its neighbors. In addition, it dealt with the court cases of citizens accused of treason.
Until 287 BC e. most of the decisions in Rome were made by centuriate comitia. The powers of this institution were cut short after the Quintus Hydrangea Act. This dictator decided to oppress the rights of the plebeians, who, among other things, were also evicted to a separate Roman hill, Yanikul. Then new tribute commissions were established.
New comitia
From 287 BC e. tribute commissions, which were convened on a territorial basis, played the most important role in the life of Ancient Rome. The already mentioned Servius Tullius divided his capital into thirty districts. They were called tribes, and later the corresponding comitia also began to be called.
Throughout its existence, this institution of people's power has survived several of its reincarnations. At first, only local issues (tax collection and conscription) belonged to the tribute comittee. Gradually, along with the increasing influence of an ever-growing plebs, they received new powers. In the end, the centuriate comitia remained only as the body necessary for diplomatic interaction with neighboring countries. The attribute meetings, however, took control of the internal agenda.
Powers of tribute comitia
The new popular assembly received the function of electing lower magistrates. These bodies, in turn, had to protect the plebs in accordance with all then existing Roman laws. Assemblies appointed numerous civil servants - quaestors, aediles and military tribunes. These rights were taken away from the consuls, who had to share their power with the plebs.
At a late stage in their development, comitia began to influence lawmaking. They could send a resolution to the Senate, which he was obliged to consider in a timely manner. Most often, such requirements were taken into account when making important state decisions. After the Law of Hortense, tributary commissions finally received an independent legislative power.
When in the I century BC. e. Roman citizenship began to extend to all the free inhabitants of Italy, the institution of the national assembly began to die. He finally disappeared under the emperor Augustus.