Consul

A Consul is an executive officer and member of the Roman Senate. In pre-Imperial days, Consuls were elected by the Senate. Under the Empire, Consuls are appointed by the Emperor. Since the beginning of the office, Consuls have always served for 1-year terms. Following this, in pre-Imperial days, they returned to the Senate to continue serving there, and could potentially be re-elected at a later time to serve again as Consul, although in practice, with as many as 900 sitting Senators, this hardly ever happened. One Augustus named himself Imperator, he converted the Consulate from an elected to an appointed position. Consuls still serve for one year, but they are appointed directly by the Emperor rather than being elected by the Senate. The Consul is still called an "elective" office, because procedurally, the Emperor nominates the Consul, and the Senate then votes on the nomination. In practice, no Senator would dare vote against the Emperor's nominees.
Consuls have always been elected in pairs, with the more senior (in terms of Senatorial experience) being named First Consul, or Consul Prior, and the junior (less experienced) being named Second Consul, or Consul Posterior. In modern Imperial times, the Emperor will ordinarily elevate the previous year's Second Consul to First Consul, and nominate a new Senator to the Second Consul position. Thus, in practice, a Consul may serve two terms (one as the junior Consul, and one as senior Consul). However, such matters are at the discretion of the Emperor.
After serving as Consul, these now-former Senators are expected to retire from elective office, but many continue to serve by being appointed to other areas of the government. The favorites of the Emperor are appointed to govern the provinces. Others may become magistrates in other arenas, such as city Prefects, local judges, foreign ministers, and the like.

Requirements

To be selected, the appointee must be of Patrician rank and must be a sitting Senator.

Appointment

Consuls are appointed from the Senate by the Emperor, and serve at the Emperor's will. Typically, a newly appointed Consul will be designated as the junior member of the Consulate, or the Consul Posterior. After serving in the junior role for one year, the person may, at the Emperor's discretion, be appointed to a second year as the senior member, or Consul Prior. However, the Emperor may choose to designate both at the same time for a single year term, and then the person serving the longest will hold the senior position.

Duties

The Consuls help the Emperor preside over the Roman Senate, and preside over meetings in his absence. Consuls are empowered to rule Senators in or out of order during meetings, and determine which matters are allowed on the floor for debate. The Consuls also preside over Senatorial trials. They also manage day-to-day affairs as the chief executive officers, second only to the Emperor himself. Consuls are still Senators, and as a result, they may vote on matters brought before the Senate.

Benefits

After serving 1-2 years, Consuls are expected to retire from the Senate. At this point, they are permanently known as proconsuls, and they are usually given administrative duties by the Emperor. Typically, proconsuls of great fame and who hold Imperial favor will be granted governorship over a province. Otherwise, proconsuls will be given other duties within the government, such as overseeing the Games in Rome, or serving as finance ministers, ambassadors to other nations, or commanding legions of the army.

Accoutrements & Equipment

The uniform of a Consul is the reverse of that for a Senator. Instead of a white toga with a thick purple border, the Consuls wear a purple toga with a thick white border -- signifying that they are just under the rank of the Emperor, who is the only one permitted to wear full purple.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Only the Emperor can remove a Consul from office. Such removal is rare, as the Consuls are appointed by the Emperor in the first place, and it is rare for disloyal Senators to be thus appointed. Typically, matters serious enough to warrant dismissal will trigger a trial, usually followed by immediate execution or exile, assuming the accused is found guilty.

History

After the Monarchy was overthrown in AUC 298, the Roman Senate, which had previously been little more than an advisory council, took power over the Roman nation, and Rome became a Republic. From among the Senators, two leaders were elected as Consuls, or chairmen of the Senate. Consuls served in pairs for a term of 1 year, after which they returned to the Senate, and new Consuls were elected. Consuls were, effectively, co-rulers of the Republic for the next 750 years, until Augustus became Emperor in AUC 1049. After that, the Consuls served at the Emperor's pleasure, and upon completing service, retired to become administrators within the Imperial Bureaucracy.

Notable Holders

• Lucius Junius Brutus - First Consul Prior after the Monarchy was overthrown (AUC 298)
• Lucius Mesienus Temerarius - Later became the last Procurator of Lugdunum.

Type

Civic, Political

Source of Authority

The Senate and the People of Rome

Length of Term

1 year

Reports directly to

Emperor

Related Locations

• Rome

Related Organizations

• Roman Empire
• Roman Senate