Cursus Honorum
Roman society was very concerned with status and social positions within society. A system of assignments of increasing importance was developed known as the Cursus Honorum. When a patrician male reached age twenty he was eligible to join the military, usually the army.
Age – Position
- 20 – Tribune serving on the staff of a legion. Six youths were assigned to each legion, or as an aide-de-camp.
- 30 – Questor, either provincially or in Rome. These positions were closely connected to finances.
- 34 – Aediles were responsible for administration of Rome. They were also charged with maintaining a list of all women registering as prostitutes. More on this in a later posting.
- 37 – Praetor. Duties centered on field of justice. Eligible after completing this assignment as a proconsul in a Senatorial province.
- 40 – Consul. Highest office of power in Republic. Became largely ceremonial during the imperial period.
Additional Roles
- Praefectus urbi – Prefect of the city, Rome or provincial. Senior magistrate of respective cities.
- Provincial Governors – Often 3–5 years duration but occasionally longer.
Traditional Senatorial Career Pattern
- Legate, commanding one of the legions
- Governor of a settled province
- Consul
- Governor of a military province
Systemic Issues
Serious problems associated with this system could arise when a Senator’s son expected assignments of one sort or another. Loyalties to his family might take precedence over loyalty to the Empire. These assignments were often made without regard to a person’s ability to competently discharge his responsibilities.
During Gallienus’ reign, assignments to military positions were more frequently made on the basis of military competence rather than political connections. These were men who proved to be competent soldiers and weren’t generally of the Senatorial class. This caused increasing friction between the Senate and the emperor.
