Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/288

274 While he made extensive use of the assemblies in passing laws, and in so far recognized the sovereignty of the people, he turned to account the maxim of the royal constitution (p. 15), that the command of the supreme magistrate is unconditionally valid as long as he remains in office, and made large use of his power to issue edicts. Thus he established a valuable precedent for the Roman emperors.

He also recognized the supreme criminal jurisdiction of the assemblies, but left them less scope for its exercise than Sulla had done.

Disappearance of the Assemblies. — Caesar had accelerated the general tendency, and the assemblies soon lost all their real powers. Augustus took away the popular jurisdiction, and assigned it to the emperor, the senate, and the courts (quaestiones), which had in the main had it before. The elective powers of the assemblies were in the first place abridged by the right of the emperor to nominate candi- dates for some offices, and in 14 a.d. the senate was em- powered to nominate candidates for all the remaining offices. The nominations, or rather elections, were then announced, in the popular assembly, and might be applauded.

The popular legislative powers were never formally abrogated, but they were exercised by the emperors in issuing administrative edicts and by the senate. After the reign of Nerva (96-98 a.d.) no laws were passed by the assemblies. But the form of a popular decree was preserved in granting citizenship, conceding municipal charters, and conferring tribunician and other powers on an emperor.

III. The Municipal and Imperial Reforms of Caesar. General Observations.

The Distribution of Grain. — On his return from Africa Caesar began a number of important municipal and imperial reforms, which he completed during the years 46-44.