Page:Roman Constitutional History, 753-44 B.C..djvu/71

Rh The Plebeian Assembly. — A third Valerio-Horatian law provided that plebiscites should have the force of law. It is probable, however, that they were not unconditionally valid, but were subject to the previous approval of the senate. Even with this restriction the plebeians had gained an important advantage, and could now extort additional concessions and make a further advance toward the equalization of the orders.

Custody of Senatorial Decrees. — The consuls, moreover, directed that the decrees of the senate should be deposited in the temple of Ceres, the plebeian archives, under the charge of the aediles. Perhaps only those decrees on which the validity of the plebiscites depended, were to be so guarded.

The New Popular Assembly. — A short time after the passage of the Valerio-Horatian laws a new popular assembly (comitia tributa) was introduced. It was organized according to districts (tribus) like the plebeian assembly, and consisted of freeholders, but included the patricians as well as the plebeians. In 447 the quaestors were elected by this assembly under the presidency of a consul. In this way they became subordinate magistrates (magistratus minores) in place of mere appointees.

The two assemblies based on the districts (concilium plebis and comitia tributa) were comparatively democratic; they exercised in the course of time more and more frequently and freely the power of legislation, and were very important factors in the development of the sovereignty of the people, and in the establishment of a complete democracy.