Consul
The title of Consul (feminine: Consula), derived from the Cyrenic Concilus, is one of the oldest political titles in the Aeillan region. The earliest known adoption of the title Consul came with the establishment of the Ilosi Republic in EF 293. It shifted meaning several times over the centuries and now is a reference to chief speakers of Senates in successor states, sometimes effectively becoming the heads of states in most Republics.
Requirements
In order to obtain the rank of Consul, one must be a Senator, often one who has reached the rank of Défteroniá (those who are on their second term as Senator), or higher. Most often the rank of Consul is granted to the most senior eligible member of the Senate, though some uniquely qualified, or uniquely ambitious Senators have achieved Consulship at a younger age.
Appointment
The title of Consul is generally an honorific one bestowed upon senior members of the Senate of a successor state by other senators as a sign of respect. However, Consuls are always elected by successor senates almost always from their own number, generally requiring a supermajority of votes, with six of ten being the preferred number. In states with functional, and powerful Exarchs, the Consul may need to be accepted by the Exarch as well.
Duties
In Exarchates, the office of Consul serves primarily as the chief legislator, and as head of the government to the Exarch's Head of State. In reality division of duties between the office of Exarch and of Consul vary greatly depending on the successor state. In the Artenesian Republic, the Consul is also head of State, serving as face of the Republic in addition head of government.
Responsibilities
The Consul serves as presiding speaker of the Senate, and is charge of managing senatorial procedure, and maintaining order in the Senate. They will also typically responsible for breaking ties in the case of split votes. In the Artenesian Republic, and in Halion, the Consul is responsible for leading a band of Penandroi on campaign, and in Artenos specifically, the Consul serves as chief diplomat, receiving foreign dignitaries when they arrive.
Benefits
Consuls are generally paid than other Senators, and occasionally have access to a state sponsored place of residence. Consuls are given power to censure other Senators, and are given the power to eject unruly people from the Senate when it is in session. This affords them great political power, as the definition of disorderly can be stretched by the Consul. Consuls will occasionally be afforded a retinue of armed soldiers who can serve as bodyguards.
Accoutrements & Equipment
The chief badge of office for the Consul is the fasces, which they are occasionally expected to carry in major official senatorial ceremonies. Most also Consular sashes, and gavels which are almost always worn and carried when the senate is in session, and the gavel in particular is used to signal changes of the agenda in senatorial sessions.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
Consuls generally are term limited, with three consecutive terms being the limit for service before being required to step down for at least one term, or occasionally permanently. Consuls can also be recalled by their senates for high crimes against the state. Such recalls most be passed by the same margin that put them into power in the first place.
History
The title of Consul was based upon the Cyrenic title of Concilus, and indeed many leading members of Ilosi Poleis where refered to just such a title. When the Ilosi Republic was formed the title of Concilus, changed to Consul was meant to indicate the seniormost member of the constituent Poleis' representative body. Throughout the forging era, and particularly towards the end of the Republican period, power began to centralize under the authority of a Proconsul, and the influence of Consuls went into decline. Traditionalist elements resisted this change however, and civil infighting frequently wracked parts of the Republic.
As the Ilosi Republic transitioned into the Aeillan Empire, all of the old republican positions were weakened by the coming Imperial bureaucracy, and Consuls where pushed from the Imperial center, and towards the provinces as provincial governors. The death knell for the Principate, and the terminal weakening of the rank of Consul in the Imperial period, came when Consuls were replaced as provincial governors by the Imperial Exarchs in EA 371.
After the fall of the Aeillan Empire in the Imperial Succession War, Consuls regained some of their old power as it proved challenging for the weaker successor states to maintain power solely through the state bureaucracy, and to maintain legitimacy to the people. Artenos in particular outright became a Republic under a Consul. In the modern day, Consuls, where they can be found share some amount of power with Exarchies, though the amount to which power is shared varies from successor state to successor state, with the exception of republican Artenos.
Cultural Significance
Consul is an old title, and indeed a prestigious one. Despite its variable level of actual political power, Consuls are generally considered to be the most venerable in Aeillan successor states. Consuls are generally highly regarded, at least among reputable citizens in well functioning successor states, and can generally expect better than normal treatment wherever they go in their travels.
Type
Civic, Political
Creation
EF 293
Form of Address
His/Her/Their/Your Excellency
Alternative Naming
Kýriepróedre
Equates to
King, Grand Prince, Exarch (or subordinate only to them)
Source of Authority
Variable
Length of Term
Usually one year, renewable up to thrice consecutively.
Related Locations
