in all. The eighteen centuries of knights still stood outside the tribe; so did the four centuries of fabri, accensi, tibicines and cornicines, and the fifth century of proletarii which probably existed at this time.[1] The total number of centuries would thus be 373 (350 + 18 + 5). The majority of this number is 187, but the first class and the equites together now have but 88 votes, thus losing their preponderance in voting power. In spite of this arrangement by tribes there is no tribal vote. The unit of voting is still the century, and it is the number of centuries that decides the question. The organisation is still by classes, the seventy centuries of each class voting as distinct bodies.[2] The equites seem still to have had the right of voting first,[3] and the first class took precedence of the others; for the lot which designated the centuria praerogativa[4] seems to have been cast only amongst the seventy groups of seniores and juniores belonging to this class.[5]
The restoration by Sulla of the older method of voting (88 B.C.)[6] was not a permanent reform. It disappeared during the Cinnan reaction, and it is questionable whether it was renewed by the dictator. If it was, it soon vanished with other items of his aristocratic reorganisation.
The comitia tributa was the most handy of all the assemblies of the full Populus, and was, consequently, the most frequently employed for the passing of leges. Its presidents were the patrician magistrates, usually the consuls and praetors and, for purposes of jurisdiction, the curule aediles. It elected these aediles and other lower magistrates of the people, as well as the twenty-four tribunes of the first four legions. Its jurisdiction was limited to pecuniary penalties.
The concilium plebis, practically the sovereign body of the state, differed from this last assembly in two respects. It could
- ↑ p. 73.
- ↑ Cic. Phil. ii. 33, 82 "Ecce Dolabellae comitiorum dies: sortitio praerogativae: quiescit. Renuntiatur, tacet. Prima classis vocatur: renuntiatur. Deinde, ita ut assolet, suffragia; tum secunda classis."
- ↑ Liv. xliii. 16 "cum ex duodecim centuriis equitum octo censorem condemnassent, multaeque aliae primae classis." It would seem as though the sex suffragia (p. 73) voted with or after the first class. Drakenborch would read octodecim for duodecim, but this would seem to give too small a number of condemnatory votes amongst the equites.
- ↑ Cic. pro Planc. 20, 49.
- ↑ Hence such expressions as Aniensis juniorum, Veturia juniorum, Galeria juniorum (Liv. xxiv. 7; xxvi. 22; xxvii. 6).
- ↑ App. B.C. i. 59.
