Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/219

Rh imperfect, Sulla probably did not care. He may purposely have omitted to revise the lists of knights, in order to demoralize the equestrian class. The remaining censorial functions, which were connected with the finances and the public works, had occasionally been performed by the consuls, and might become a part of their regular duties.

Coöptation and Increase of Priestly Colleges. — Sulla considered it advisable to restore the chief colleges of priests to the oligarchic party, and to strengthen them. Accordingly he annulled the restricted popular right of election (p. 180), and provided that the pontiffs, the augurs, the keepers of the Sibylline books, and the masters of sacrificial banquets should have their old power to fill all vacancies in their respective colleges. He also increased the number of members to fifteen in the first three colleges and to seven in the last. The increased numbers corresponded better with the more numerous senate.

III. The Judiciary and the Municipal Government.

General Observations.

Reorganisation of the Judidary. — The reorganization of the judicial system was one of the most important and permanent of the reforms of Sulla. After the establishment, in 149, of the special court for cases of extortion, other similar courts had been instituted. Sulla regulated those which already existed, and organized others. He decreed that the six courts for trying cases of extortion (quaestio repetundarum), of bribery at elections (ambitus), embezzlement (peculatus), treason (maiestatis), murder (de sicariis et veneficis), and probably of heinous fraud (falsi) should each be presided over by a praetor; and the two remaining praetors were, as formerly, to have charge of civil cases, one (praetor urbanus) having the suits between citizens, and the other