This article is about political office. For a list, see List of Roman consuls.
Politics of ancient Rome
Periods
Roman Kingdom 753–509 BC
Roman Republic 509–27 BC
Roman Empire 27 BC – AD 395
Principate 27 BC – AD 284
Dominate AD 284–641
Western AD 395–476
Eastern AD 395–1453
Timeline
Constitution
Kingdom
Republic
Sullan republic
Empire
Augustan reforms
Late Empire
Political institutions
Imperium
Collegiality
Auctoritas
Roman citizenship
Cursus honorum
Assemblies
Centuriate
Curiate
Plebeian
Tribal
Ordinary magistrates
Consul
Praetor
Quaestor
Promagistrate
Aedile
Tribune
Censor
Governor
Extraordinary magistrates
Corrector
Dictator
Magister equitum
Consular tribune
Rex
Triumviri
Decemviri
Public law
Mos maiorum
Ius
Senatus consultum
Quaestio perpetua
Senatus consultum ultimum
Titles and honours
Emperor
Legatus
Dux
Officium
Praeses
Praefectus
Vicarius
Vigintisexviri
Triumvir monetalis
Lictor
Magister militum
Imperator
Princeps senatus
Pontifex maximus
Augustus
Caesar
Tetrarch
Other countries
v
t
e
A consul was the highest elected public official of the Roman Republic (c. 509 BC to 27 BC). Romans considered the consulship the second-highest level of the cursus honorum—an ascending sequence of public offices to which politicians aspired—after that of the censor, which was reserved for former consuls.[1] Each year, the Centuriate Assembly elected two consuls to serve jointly for a one-year term. The consuls alternated each month holding fasces (taking turns leading) when both were in Rome. A consul's imperium (military power) extended over Rome and all its provinces.
There were two consuls in order to create a check on the power of any individual citizen in accordance with the republican belief that the powers of the former kings of Rome should be spread out into multiple offices. To that end, each consul could veto the actions of the other consul.
After the establishment of the Empire (27 BC), the consuls became mere symbolic representatives of Rome's republican heritage and held very little power and authority, with the Emperor acting as the supreme authority.
The practice of dual leaders (diarchy) continues on to this day in San Marino and is directly derived from the customs of the Roman Republic. Equivalent to the consuls of ancient Rome, the Captains Regent serve as dual leaders of the country. They are however not heads of government, but only heads of state without executive power.
A consul was the highest elected public official of the Roman Republic (c. 509 BC to 27 BC). Romans considered the consulship the second-highest level...
This is a list of consuls known to have held office, from the beginning of the Roman Republic to the latest use of the title in Imperial times, together...
where a consul is a type of diplomat. A consul held the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic (509 to 27 BC), and ancient Romans considered...
(the consul of 64 BC), and Lepidus his brother Paullus. On 1 January 42 BC, the Senate posthumously recognized Julius Caesar as a divinity of the Roman state...
climax came in the year 190, which had 25 suffect consuls—a record in the 1,000-year history of the Roman consulship—all appointed by Cleander (they included...
family's first consul was in 157 BC, though their political fortunes had recovered in the early first century, producing two consuls in 91 and 90 BC...
Pomponius Matho – were both consuls in 233 and 231, respectively. The Second Punic war started in the spring of 218 BC when the Roman ultimatum to Carthage...
457 BC in order to lead reinforcements to the defense of the Roman army under the consul L. Minucius Esquilinus Augurinus at Mount Algidus. Many of the...
relative peace, calm, and stability for the Roman Empire lasting from 27 BC to 180 AD. He served as Romanconsul in 140, 145, and 161. Marcus Aurelius was...
was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, becoming the first Roman emperor...
leader Giordano Pierleoni, son of the Romanconsul Pier Leoni, with the title patrician, since the term consul had been deprecated as a noble styling...
Arsia – The Romans defeated the forces of Tarquinii and Veii led by the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. One of the Romanconsuls, Lucius Junius...
other consul Ti. Sempronius Longus. More than half the Roman army was lost. Hannibal then ravaged the country around Arretium to lure the new consul C. Flaminius...
337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a pivotal...
Pompey again served jointly as consuls. Following his second consulship, Crassus was appointed as the governor of Roman Syria. Crassus used Syria as the...
issues at stake in 87 BC was the appointment of the consul Lucius Cornelius Sulla as commander of the Roman army in the ongoing First Mithridatic War, an opportunity...
surnamed Cunctator (c. 280 – 203 BC), was a Roman statesman and general of the third century BC. He was consul five times (233, 228, 215, 214, and 209 BC)...
As consul the previous year, Gabinius had consented to the exile of Cicero by Antony's mentor, Publius Clodius Pulcher. Hyrcanus II, the Roman-supported...
Lucius Aemilius Paullus may refer to: Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC), Romanconsul who died at the Battle of Cannae (part of the Second Punic War)...
prevalent method in Europe for naming years. Consuls: Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus and Aulus Hirtius. The Roman Senate confirms Octavian as propraetor with...
13 January 86 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. Victor of the Cimbric and Jugurthine wars, he held the office of consul an unprecedented seven times...
Global Information