posted up publicly every year,[1] and the Emperor appeared at the head of this list as princeps senatus.[2] The number of the Senate was fixed by Augustus at 600,[3] and, as there seems to have been little or no alteration in the number of the quaestors, the size of the body into which they passed may have been fairly constant. Augustus also instituted fixed days for meeting. These regular meetings (senatus legitimi) took place twice a month, on the Kalends and the Ides, except during the autumn months of September and October, and attendance on these days was compulsory.[4] Even to these meetings, however, there was a summons through an edict.[5] Extraordinary sittings (senatus indicti) could also be held whenever the magistrate deemed them necessary.[6] The presidency and summons belonged chiefly to the consuls, but, as in the Republic, were possessed also by the praetors and tribunes.[7] When the Senate had been summoned, the Princeps shared in the presidency as a magistrate, and it is very questionable whether he ever appeared at the board in the character of a simple senator.[8] As a magistrate he might address the house at any moment, and, during the early Principate at least, custom dictated that there should be a pause at the opening and at the close of a debate which the Princeps might fill up with an expression of opinion if he pleased.[9] We have already noticed the singular privileges which he possessed in the matter of bringing business before the house.[10]: cf. lxxii. 5, where Pertinax [Greek: prokritos . . . tês gerousias kata to archaion epônomasthê]: an expression which seems to show that it was not a constant designation of the Princeps at this period.]. But neither writer may be using strictly technical language; and it is not certain that the Princeps could be asked his opinion. On the other hand, when Caesar put the question, the other magistrates gave sententiae (Tac. Ann. iii. 17). The question is not of much importance for the Principate as a whole, as in its later period the Emperor usually consulted the Senate by letter. See p. 369.]
- ↑ Dio Cass. lv. 3; Tac. Ann. iv. 42.
- ↑ Dio Cass. liii. 1 (Augustus in 28 B.C. during the censorship of himself and Agrippa) [Greek: en autais (tais apographais) prokritos tês gerousias epeklêthê
- ↑ ib. liv. 13, 14.
- ↑ ib. lv. 3; Suet. Aug. 35; Merkel ad Ovid. Fast. p. vi
- ↑ Lex de imp. Vesp. l. 9 "ac si e lege senatus edictus esset habereturque."
- ↑ Vita Gordianorum, 11; Vita Hadriani, 7; Dio Cass. liv. 3.
- ↑ For the summons by a praetor see Tac. Hist. iv. 39; by tribunes, Dio Cass. lvi. 47, lx. 16, lxxviii. 37; by tribunes and praetors, ib. lix. 24.
- ↑ The doubt is raised by Piso's address to Tiberius during a trial for majestas, "quo . . . loco censebis, Caesar? Si primus, habebo quod sequar: si post omnes, vereor ne imprudens dissentiam" (Tac. Ann. i 74). Dio Cassius also says of Tiberius (lvii. 7) [Greek: kai gar autos psêphon pollakis edidou
- ↑ See Tac. Ann. i. 74, quoted in the last note.
