Plebeian Tribunes

Lore & Background

The ancient sources indicate the tribunes may have originally been two or five in number. If the former, the college of tribunes was expanded to five in 471 BC under the lex Publilia. Either way, the college was increased to ten in 457 BC, and remained at this number throughout Roman history. The tribunes were sacrosanct, and the whole body of the plebeians were pledged to protect the tribunes against any assault or interference with their persons during their terms of office. Anyone who violated the sacrosanctity of the tribunes might be killed without penalty. This was also the source of the tribunes' power, known as ius intercessionis, or intercessio, by which any tribune could intercede on behalf of a Roman citizen to prohibit the act of a magistrate or other official. Citizens could appeal the decisions of the magistrates to the tribunes, who would then be obliged to determine the legality of the action before a magistrate could proceed. This power also allowed the tribunes to forbid, or veto any act of the senate or another assembly. However, the tribunes' veto did not extend to a dictator, nor to the actions of a fellow tribune.

In Their Own Story

The patricians' monopoly on power was finally broken by Gaius Licinius Calvus Stolo and Lucius Sextius Lateranus, tribunes of the people, who in 376 BC brought forward legislation demanding not merely that one of the consuls might be a plebeian, but that henceforth one must be chosen from their order. When the senate refused their demand, the tribunes prevented the election of annual magistrates for five years, before relenting and permitting the election of consular tribunes from 370 to 367. In the end, and with the encouragement of the dictator Marcus Furius Camillus, the senate conceded the battle, and passed the Licinian Rogations. The powers of the tribunes were severely curtailed during the constitutional reforms of the dictator Sulla in 81 BC. Although many of these powers were restored in further reforms of 75 BC and 70 BC, the prestige and authority of the tribunes had been irreparably damaged. In 48 BC, the senate granted tribunician powers (tribunicia potestas) to the dictator Julius Caesar. In 23 BC, the senate granted the same power to Augustus, the first Roman emperor, and from that point onwards it was regularly granted to each emperor as part of their formal titles.

Reader's Guide

The tribunes of the plebs were elected by the plebeians alone, and not the whole Roman people. Technically they were not magistrates. Their tribunicia potestas was limited because it was derived from the people's oath to defend the tribunes. This limited most of the tribunes' actions to the boundaries of the city itself, as well as a radius of one mile around. They had no power to affect the actions of provincial governors. Under the Roman Empire, the tribunes continued to be elected, but had lost their independence and most of their practical power. The office became merely a step in the political careers of plebeians who aspired toward a seat in the senate.

Did You Know?

• The tribunes of the plebs were instituted in 494 BC after the first secession of the plebs.
• The college of tribunes was increased to ten in 457 BC and remained at that number throughout Roman history.
• The tribunes' veto did not apply to a dictator, nor could it be used against a fellow tribune.
• In 48 BC, the senate granted tribunician sacrosanctity to Julius Caesar, but the full tribunicia potestas was granted in 44 BC; in 23 BC, Augustus received it, making it a standard imperial title.
• The tribunes' power was limited to the city of Rome and a radius of one mile around it.