Page:A history and description of Roman political institutions (IA historyanddescri00abbo).pdf/56

44 a number of campaigns simultaneously at points remote from the city. Several commanders, and a term of service extending beyond twelve months, were absolutely necessary to success. To meet the need of more than two commanding officers, as early as 465, according to tradition, an army was placed in charge of a certain T. Quinctius, acting, and in 326 Q. Publilius Philo, the consul of the previous year, was authorized to remain in charge of his army , until the campaign was finished. The changes in the constitution which developed in after years out of these two precedents were of tremendous importance. The first incident led in a time to the development of the whole system of promagisterial government which was adopted for the provinces. The extension of an official's term of office beyond one year, which was first allowed in the case of Publilius, was out of harmony with a fundamental principle of Roman government, and the frequent adoption of the device accustomed the Romans to the protracted exercise of supreme power by an individual, and thus prepared the way for the empire.

46. The Tribunes and the Senate. In our examination of an earlier period (p. 38) we noticed a repprochement between the senate and the tribunes. The case of Publilius in 326 offers another striking instance of the same tendency, if we may accept the traditional narrative. The measure extending Publilius's term of office would seem to have been laid before the by a tribune, at the request of the senate. This fact seems to indicate, not only greater harmony between the two elements in the community, but also a recognition on the part of the aristocracy of the possibility of using plebeian officials to accomplish desired objects.

The willingness of the tribune on this occasion, and in