The cursus honorum officially begins with ten years of military duty in the Roman army as a Cadet or in the staff of a general. Nepotism is now condemned. A more prestigious position was that of a military tribune. As many men, at the age of around 28,as needed by the Legions are elected by the Centurion Council to serve as a Tribunes in one of the legions. These years normaly are mandatory to qualify for political office, but, in practice, the rule is not rigidly applied.
The following steps of the cursus honorum were achieved by direct election every year.
Quaestor
The first official post is that of quaestor. Candidates have to be at least 28-30 years old.
Twenty quaestors serve in the financial administration at Rome or as second-in-command to a governor in the provinces. They can also serve as the pay master for a legion. An additional task of all quaestors is the supervision of public games. Also, after the reforms of Sulla in the early 80s BC, election to quaestor brought automatic membership in the Senate, which previously was decided by the censors. As a quaestor, an official is allowed to wear the toga praetexta, but is not escorted by lictors, nor does he possess imperium.
AedilesThe first official post is that of quaestor. Candidates have to be at least 28-30 years old.
Twenty quaestors serve in the financial administration at Rome or as second-in-command to a governor in the provinces. They can also serve as the pay master for a legion. An additional task of all quaestors is the supervision of public games. Also, after the reforms of Sulla in the early 80s BC, election to quaestor brought automatic membership in the Senate, which previously was decided by the censors. As a quaestor, an official is allowed to wear the toga praetexta, but is not escorted by lictors, nor does he possess imperium.
Aediles
At 36 years of age, former quaestors can stand for election to one of the aedile positions. The aediles have administrative responsibilities in Rome. They have to take care of the temples (whence their title, from the Latin aedes, "temple") they organize games and are responsible for the maintenance of the public buildings in Rome. Moreover, they ar in charge of Rome's water and food supplies; in their capacity as market superintendents, they serve sometimes as judges in mercantile affairs.
The Aedile is the supervisor of public works. He oversees the public works, temples and markets. Therefore the Aediles have been in some cooperation with the current Censors, who have similar or related duties. Also they oversee the organization of festivals and games (ludi).
While part of the cursus honorum, this step is optional and not required to hold future offices. Though the office is usually held after the quaestorship and before the praetorship, there are some cases with former praetors serving as aediles.
Praetor
After holding either the office of Quaestor or Aedile, a man of 39 years can run for Praetor. The number of Praetors elected vary. In the absence of the Consuls, a Praetor will be given command of the garrison in Rome or in Italy. Also, a Praetor can exercise the functions of the Consuls throughout Rome, but their main function is that of a judge. They preside over trials involving criminal acts as well as grant court orders or validate "illegal" acts as acts of administering justice. As a Praetor, a magistrate is escorted by six lictors, owns imperium, and wears the toga praetexta. After a term as Praetor, the magistrate will serve as a provincial governor in the office of Propraetor, owning Propraetor imperium, commanding the province’s legions, and possessing ultimate authority within their province(s).
The Praetor Peregrinus, who is the chief judge in trials involving one or more foreigners. The other is the Praetor Urbanus, the chief judicial office in Rome. He has the power to overturn any verdict by any other courts, and serves as judge in cases involving criminal charges against provincial governors. The Praetor Urbanus is not allowed to leave the city for more than ten days. If one of these two Praetors is absent from Rome, the other will perform the duties of both.
Consul
The minimum age is 42. The names of the two elected consuls identifies the year. Consuls are responsible for the Republicas political agenda, command large-scale armies and control important provinces. The consuls served for only two years (to prevent corruption) and can only rule when they agree, because each consul can veto the other's decision.
The consuls alternate monthly as the chairmen of the Senate. They also are the supreme commander in the Roman army, with each being granted two legions during their consular year. Consuls also exercise the highest juridical power in the Republic, being the only office with the power to override the decisions of the Praetor Urbanus. Only laws and the decrees of the Senate or the People's assembly limit their powers, and only the veto of a fellow consul or a tribune of the plebs can supersede their decisions.
A consul is escorted by twelve lictors, owns imperium and wares the toga praetexta. Because the consul is the highest executive office within the Republic, they have the power to veto any action or proposal by any other magistrate, save that of the Tribune of the Plebs. After a consulship, a consul is assigned one of the more important provinces and acts as the governor in the same way that a Propraetor does, only owning Proconsular imperium. A second consulship can only be attempted after an interval of 10 years to prevent one man from holding too much power.
Governor
Though not part of the Cursus Honorum, upon completing a term as either Praetor or Consul, an officer is required to serve a term as Propraetor and Proconsul, respectively, in one of Rome's many provinces. These Propraetors and Proconsuls hold near autocratic authority within their selected province or provinces. Because each governor holds equal imperium to the equivalent magistrate, they are escorted by the same number of lictors and can only be vetoed by a reigning Consul or Praetor. Their abilities to govern are only limited by the decrees of the Senate or the people's assemblies, and the Tribune of the Plebs are unable to veto their acts as long as the governor remains at least a mile outside of Rome.
CensorAt 36 years of age, former quaestors can stand for election to one of the aedile positions. The aediles have administrative responsibilities in Rome. They have to take care of the temples (whence their title, from the Latin aedes, "temple") they organize games and are responsible for the maintenance of the public buildings in Rome. Moreover, they ar in charge of Rome's water and food supplies; in their capacity as market superintendents, they serve sometimes as judges in mercantile affairs.
The Aedile is the supervisor of public works. He oversees the public works, temples and markets. Therefore the Aediles have been in some cooperation with the current Censors, who have similar or related duties. Also they oversee the organization of festivals and games (ludi).
While part of the cursus honorum, this step is optional and not required to hold future offices. Though the office is usually held after the quaestorship and before the praetorship, there are some cases with former praetors serving as aediles.
Praetor
After holding either the office of Quaestor or Aedile, a man of 39 years can run for Praetor. The number of Praetors elected vary. In the absence of the Consuls, a Praetor will be given command of the garrison in Rome or in Italy. Also, a Praetor can exercise the functions of the Consuls throughout Rome, but their main function is that of a judge. They preside over trials involving criminal acts as well as grant court orders or validate "illegal" acts as acts of administering justice. As a Praetor, a magistrate is escorted by six lictors, owns imperium, and wears the toga praetexta. After a term as Praetor, the magistrate will serve as a provincial governor in the office of Propraetor, owning Propraetor imperium, commanding the province’s legions, and possessing ultimate authority within their province(s).
The Praetor Peregrinus, who is the chief judge in trials involving one or more foreigners. The other is the Praetor Urbanus, the chief judicial office in Rome. He has the power to overturn any verdict by any other courts, and serves as judge in cases involving criminal charges against provincial governors. The Praetor Urbanus is not allowed to leave the city for more than ten days. If one of these two Praetors is absent from Rome, the other will perform the duties of both.
Consul
The minimum age is 42. The names of the two elected consuls identifies the year. Consuls are responsible for the Republicas political agenda, command large-scale armies and control important provinces. The consuls served for only two years (to prevent corruption) and can only rule when they agree, because each consul can veto the other's decision.
The consuls alternate monthly as the chairmen of the Senate. They also are the supreme commander in the Roman army, with each being granted two legions during their consular year. Consuls also exercise the highest juridical power in the Republic, being the only office with the power to override the decisions of the Praetor Urbanus. Only laws and the decrees of the Senate or the People's assembly limit their powers, and only the veto of a fellow consul or a tribune of the plebs can supersede their decisions.
A consul is escorted by twelve lictors, owns imperium and wares the toga praetexta. Because the consul is the highest executive office within the Republic, they have the power to veto any action or proposal by any other magistrate, save that of the Tribune of the Plebs. After a consulship, a consul is assigned one of the more important provinces and acts as the governor in the same way that a Propraetor does, only owning Proconsular imperium. A second consulship can only be attempted after an interval of 10 years to prevent one man from holding too much power.
Governor
Though not part of the Cursus Honorum, upon completing a term as either Praetor or Consul, an officer is required to serve a term as Propraetor and Proconsul, respectively, in one of Rome's many provinces. These Propraetors and Proconsuls hold near autocratic authority within their selected province or provinces. Because each governor holds equal imperium to the equivalent magistrate, they are escorted by the same number of lictors and can only be vetoed by a reigning Consul or Praetor. Their abilities to govern are only limited by the decrees of the Senate or the people's assemblies, and the Tribune of the Plebs are unable to veto their acts as long as the governor remains at least a mile outside of Rome.
Censor
Main article: Censor (ancient Rome)
After consul, the next step in the Cursus Honorum is the office of censor. This is the only office in the Roman Republic whose term is a period of 30 months instead of the usual 24. Censors are elected every five years and although the office holds no military imperium, it is considered a great honor. The censors take a regular census of the people and then apportion the citizens into voting classes on the basis of income and tribal affiliation. The censors enroll new citizens in tribes and voting classes as well. The censors are also in charge of the membership roll of the Senate, every five years adding new senators who have been elected to the requisite offices. Censors can also remove unworthy members from the senate. Censors are also responsible for construction of public buildings
Censors also have financial duties, in that they have to put out to tender projects that are to be financed by the state. Also, the censors are in charge of the leasing out ofpublic land for public use and auction. Though this office owns no imperium, meaning no lictors for protection, they are allowed to wear the toga praetexta.
Tribune of the Plebs
Those who hold the office are granted sacrosanctity (the right to be legally protected from any physical harm), the power to rescue any citizen from the hands of a magistrate, and the right to veto any act or proposal of any magistrate, including another tribune of the people and the consuls. The tribunes can even convene a Senate meeting and lay legislation before it and arrest magistrates. Their houses have to remain open for visitors even during the night, and they are not allowed to be more than a days' journey from Rome. Due to their unique power of sacrosanctity, the Tribune has no need for lictors for protection and owns no imperium, nor can they wear the toga praetexta.
Princeps Senatus
Another office not officially a step in the cursus honorum is the princeps senatus.. The princeps senatus serves as the leader of the Senate and is chosen to serve a five year term by each pair of Censors every five years. Censors can, however, confirm a princeps senatus for a period of another five years. The princeps senatus is chosen from all senators who have served as a Consul, with former Censors usually holding the office. The office originally granted the holder the ability to speak first at session on the topic presented by the presiding magistrate but eventually gained the power to open and close the senate sessions, decide the agenda, decide where the session should take place, impose order and other rules of the session, meet in the name of the senate with embassies of foreign countries, and write in the name of the senate letters and dispatches. This office, like the Tribune, does not own imperium, is not escorted by lictors, and can not wear the toga praetexta.
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