Tribuni militum consulari potestate


The tribuni militum consulari potestate, in English commonly also Consular Tribunes, were tribunes elected with consular power during the so-called "Conflict of the Orders" in the Roman Republic, starting in 444 BC and then continuously from 408 BC to 394 BC and again from 391 BC to 367 BC.

Origin and dissolution of the office

According to the histories of Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, the magistracy of the tribuni militum consulari potestate was created during the Conflict of the Orders, along with the magistracy of the censor, in order to give the Plebeian order access to higher levels of government without having to reform the office of consul; plebeians could be elected to the office of Consular Tribune.
The choice whether a collegium of Consular Tribunes or consuls were to be elected for a given year was made by senatus consultum, thereby accounting for the periods of either office interspersed with the other. The number of Consular Tribunes varied from 2 to 6, and because they were considered colleagues of the two censors, there is sometimes mention of the "eight tribunes".
Modern scholars now believe, however, that the creation of the consular tribunes was due to the changing military and administrative requirements of the expanding Roman state. In the beginning during the 440s, the consular tribunes, elected from the three ancient tribes of the Titienses, Ramnenses, and Luceres, were part of an overall redesign of the military structure of the Roman state to maximise military efficiency, which included the creation of the Censorship and the Quaestorship. Originally patrician office holders, they were referred to as "military tribunes", and were responsible for leading the armies into battle. It was only much later that they were given the anachronistic addition of "with consular power", in an attempt to distinguish them from the Military tribunes who were the legionary officers of the middle and late Republic.
The tribunes, like their consular predecessors, exercised consular potestas, indicating they must have been elected by the comitia centuriata, and that the current needs of the state could not be served by the previous consular system. From their initial number of three, the consular tribunes were increased to four for the first time in 426 BC in response to the military situation which saw the Roman state capture and annex Fidenae.
Then in 405 BC, the number of consular tribunes was increased to six for the first time; and after that, apart from the very occasional year in which eight or ten consular tribunes are recorded, the Roman state was led by six consular tribunes for almost every year down to the dissolution of the office and the reintroduction of the consulship in 366 BC. The increase was due to the need for the consular tribunes to not only handle the military affairs of Rome, but also the administrative needs of the city as well.
According to Livy, the practice of electing consular tribunes came to a definitive end in 366 BC, when the Lex Licinia Sextia took effect, allowing the Plebeian order access to the office of consul. Modern understanding of this process interprets the change to one where Rome’s position in Latium had become sufficiently secure to allow the urban duties of the consular tribunes to be discharged by other office holders with different levels of competencies and powers, including imperium in the case of the Praetor. Thus the reorganization of the Roman state in 367/6 BC. saw the replacement of the six consular tribunes with five officials with distinct functions: the head of state became the two consuls, who would wage Rome’s wars and lead the Senate's deliberations. In addition there was one praetor who would oversee lawsuits in the city, while two curule aediles would undertake all other administrative duties within the city, such as the organization and holding of public games and overseeing and controlling the markets in Rome.

Consular Tribunes by year

Presented by Varronian chronology. For more information on deciphering early Roman names, see Roman names.
YearTribunes
444 BC
  • A. Sempronius Atratinus
  • T. Atilius Luscus
  • T. Cloelius Siculus
438 BC
  • Mam. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • 434 BC
  • Ser. Cornelius Cossus
  • M. Manlius Capitolinus
  • Q. Sulpicius Camerinus Praetextatus
  • 433 BC
  • M. Fabius Vibulanus
  • M. Folius Flaccinator
  • L. Sergius Fidenas
  • 432 BC
  • L. Pinarius Mamercinus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • Sp. Postumius Albus Regillensis
  • 426 BC
  • T. Quinctius Poenus Cincinnatus
  • C. Furius Pacilus Fusus
  • M. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • A. Cornelius Cossus
  • 425 BC
  • A. Sempronius Atratinus
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • L. Horatius Barbatus
  • 424 BC
  • Ap. Claudius Crassus
  • Sp. Nautius Rutilus
  • L. Sergius Fidenas
  • Sex. Julius Iulus
  • 422 BC
  • L. Manlius Capitolinus
  • Q. Antonius Merenda
  • L. Papirius Mugillanus
  • 420 BC
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • M. Manlius Vulso
  • A. Sempronius Atratinus
  • 419 BC
  • Agrippa Menenius Lanatus
  • P. Lucretius Tricipitinus
  • Sp. Nautius Rutilus
  • C. Servilius Axilla
  • 418 BC
  • L. Sergius Fidenas
  • M. Papirius Mugillanus
  • C. Servilius Axilla
  • 417 BC
  • P. Lucretius Tricipitinus
  • Agrippa Menenius Lanatus
  • C. Servilius Axilla
  • Sp. Rutilius Crassus
  • 416 BC* A. Sempronius Atratinus
  • M. Papirius Mugillanus
  • Q. Fabius Vibulanus
  • Sp. Nautius Rutilus
  • 415 BC
  • P. Cornelius Cossus
  • C. Valerius Potitus Volusus
  • N. Fabius Vibulanus
  • Q. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • 414 BC
  • Cn. Cornelius Cossus
  • L. Valerius Potitus
  • Q. Fabius Vibulanus
  • P. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • 408 BC
  • C. Julius Iulus
  • P. Cornelius Cossus
  • C. Servilius Ahala
  • 407 BC
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • C. Valerius Potitus Volusus
  • N. Fabius Vibulanus
  • C. Servilius Ahala
  • 406 BC
  • P. Cornelius Rutilus Cossus
  • Cn. Cornelius Cossus
  • N. Fabius Ambustus
  • L. Valerius Potitus
  • 405 BC
  • T. Quinctius Capitolinus Barbatus
  • Q. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • C. Julius Iulus
  • A. Manlius Vulso Capitolinus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • M'. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • 404 BC
  • C. Valerius Potitus Volusus
  • M'. Sergius Fidenas
  • P. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Cn. Cornelius Cossus
  • K. Fabius Ambustus
  • Sp. Nautius Rutilus
  • 403 BC
  • M'. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • L. Valerius Potitus
  • Ap. Claudius Crassus Inregillensis
  • M. Quinctilius Varus
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • M. Furius Fusus
  • M. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • M. Postumius
  • 402 BC
  • C. Servilius Ahala
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • L. Verginius Tricostus Esquilinus
  • Q. Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus
  • A. Manlius Vulso Capitolinus
  • M'. Sergius Fidenas
  • 401 BC
  • L. Valerius Potitus
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • M'. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • Cn. Cornelius Cossus
  • K. Fabius Ambustus
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • 400 BC
  • P. Licinius Calvus Esquilinus
  • P. Manlius Vulso
  • L. Titinius Pansa Saccus
  • P. Maelius Capitolinus
  • Sp. Furius Medullinus
  • L. Publilius Philo Vulscus
  • 399 BC
  • Cn. Genucius Augurinus
  • L. Atilius Priscus
  • M. Pomponius Rufus
  • C. Duillius Longus
  • M. Veturius Crassus Cicurinus
  • Volero Publilius Philo
  • 398 BC
  • L. Valerius Potitus
  • M. Valerius Lactucinus Maximus
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • Q. Sulpicius Camerinus Cornutus
  • 397 BC
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • L. Sergius Fidenas
  • A. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • P. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • A. Manlius Vulso Capitolinus
  • 396 BC
  • L. Titinius Pansa Saccus
  • P. Licinius Calvus Esquilinus
  • P. Maelius Capitolinus
  • Q. Manlius Vulso Capitolinus
  • Cn. Genucius Augurinus
  • L. Atilius Priscus
  • 395 BC
  • P. Cornelius Cossus
  • P. Cornelius Scipio
  • K. Fabius Ambustus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • M. Valerius Lactucinus Maximus
  • 394 BC
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • C. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • L. Valerius Publicola
  • Sp. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • P. Cornelius
  • 391 BC
  • L. Lucretius Tricipitinus Flavus
  • Ser. Sulpicius Camerinus
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • Agrippa Furius Fusus
  • C. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • 390 BC
  • Q. Fabius Ambustus
  • K. Fabius Ambustus
  • N. Fabius Ambustus
  • Q. Sulpicius Longus
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • P. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • 389 BC
  • L. Valerius Publicola
  • L. Verginius Tricostus
  • P. Cornelius
  • A. Manlius Capitolinus
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • L. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • 388 BC
  • T. Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • L. Aquilius Corvus
  • L. Lucretius Flavus Tricipitinus
  • Ser. Sulipicius Rufus
  • 387 BC
  • L. Papirius Cursor
  • Cn. Sergius Fidenas Coxo
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • Licinus Menentius Lanatus
  • L. Valerius Publicola
  • L. Cornelius
  • 386 BC
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • L. Horatius Pulvillus
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola
  • 385 BC
  • A. Manlius Capitolinus
  • P. Cornelius
  • T. Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus
  • L. Papirius Cursor
  • Cn. Sergius Fidenas Coxo
  • 384 BC
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • Ser. Sulpicius Rufus
  • C. Papirius Crassus
  • T. Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus
  • 383 BC
  • L. Valerius Publicola
  • A. Manlius Capitolinus
  • Ser. Sulpicius Rufus
  • L. Lucretius Flavus Tricipitinus
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • M. Trebonius
  • 382 BC
  • Sp. Papirius Crassus
  • L. Papirius Mugillanus
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • C. Sulpicius Camerinus
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • 381 BC
  • M. Furius Camillus
  • A. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • L. Postumius Albinus Regillensis
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • L. Lucretius Tricipitinus Flavus
  • M. Fabius Ambustus
  • 380 BC
  • L. Valerius Publicola
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Licinus Menentius Lanatus
  • C. Sulpicius Peticus
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • Cn. Sergius Fidenas Coxo
  • Ti. Papirius Crassus
  • L. Papirius Mugillanus
  • 379 BC
  • P. Manlius Capitolinus
  • C. Manlius
  • L. Julius Iulus
  • C. Sextilius
  • M. Albinius
  • L. Antistius
  • 378 BC
  • Sp. Furius
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • Licinus Menenius Lanatus
  • P. Cloelius Siculus
  • M. Horatius
  • L. Geganius Macerinus
  • 377 BC
  • L. Aemilius Mamercinus
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola
  • C. Veturius Crassus Cicurinus
  • Ser. Sulpicius Rufus
  • L. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • C. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • 376 BC
  • L. Papirius Mugillanus
  • Licinus Menenius Lanatus
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Ser. Sulpicius Praetextatus
  • 370 BC
  • L. Furius Medullinus
  • A. Manlius Capitolinus
  • Ser. Sulpicius Praetextatus
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola
  • C. Valerius Potitus
  • 369 BC
  • Q. Servilius Fidenas
  • C. Veturius Crassus Cicurinus
  • A. Cornelius Cossus
  • M. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Q. Quinctius Cincinnatus
  • M. Fabius Ambustus
  • 368 BC
  • T. Quinctius Cincinnatus Capitolinus
  • Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • Ser. Sulpicius Praetextatus
  • Sp. Servilius Structus
  • L. Papirius Crassus
  • L. Veturius Crassus Cicurinus
  • 367 BC
  • A. Cornelius Cossus
  • M. Cornelius Maluginensis
  • M. Geganius Macerinus
  • P. Manlius Capitolinus
  • L. Veturius Crassus Cicurinus
  • P. Valerius Potitus Publicola