Why was the senate important to ancient Rome?

Answer 1

The senate was important during the period of the Roman Monarchy (753-509 B.C.) when it was the advisory body of the kings and during the period of the Roman Republic (509-27 B.C.). During the period of rule by emperors (27 B.C.-476 A.D.) the senate lost much of its power. It was turned into an instrument for the emperor's rule.

During the Republic Rome did not have a centralised executive, like a cabinet or an administration. There were five types of executive officers of state and they were all elected annually, except for the censors who were elected every 18 months. This included the consuls, the two heads of the Republic. The senate remained an advisory body, this time for the consuls. It was not an elected body. It was composed of patricians (aristocrats) and former executive officers of state. Its members were enrolled by the censors. It was not a legislative body either. It was a body where matters of policy were discussed and recommendations for the consuls were made. The consuls usually followed it advice. This made the senate the most powerful political body of the Republic. Given that the term of office of officers of state was only one year, the senate provided policy continuity. The senate also supervised the treasurers (the quaestors).

In addition to the above, despite not being a legislative body (in nether drafted bills nor voted on legislation) the senate also issued the senatum consulta, which were texts promulgated by the senate on draft bills presented to the senate by the consuls. They expressed the opinion of the senate on the matters referred and they had only an advisory capacity. In practice the consuls usually followed the consulta to the letter. It was considered normal practice to seek a consultum (singular) prior to submitting a bill to the vote of the popular assemblies. A hostile consultum would lead to a modification of the bill or its abandonment. However, if it conflicted with a passed law, the latter overrode the consultum. Originally the senate could veto approved laws on the grounds of technicalities with the senatum acutoritas. Later a law determined that the senatus acutoritas could only be issued before the vote. In n 287 BC a laws abolished the senatus acutoritas.

Rome's wars of expansion into Italy and beyond increased the power of the senate. It became the body which enabled the co-ordination of the deployment of several armies at the same time and the establishment of Roman colonies (settlements) in the conquered territories. The governors of the Roman provinces (conquered territories) were chosen by the senators from among themselves.

Answer 2

The Roman senate was established by Romulus, Rome's founder and its first king) as a royal advisory body.