Rome’s Greatest Prize

Once every year, the overcrowded streets of Rome would see its hustle and bustle brought to even greater heights. To the people of Rome, the increasing energy within the city could only mean one thing – election season had arrived.  Patrons would begin to call on their clients, gatherings would be held across the city, and potential candidates would bring out their specially whitened toga for the occasion. To the political elite of the Roman Republic, the election season offered them the chance to compete for the greatest prize of all within Roman society – the Consulship.

Through victory at the polls, eternal glory could be won by the victor, with even the year itself deriving its name from the two Consuls elected. However, as we shall see, convincing the electorate was less a case of talent and political manoeuvring, and more down to upper class snobbery and prestige.

The Executive Branch

At a glance, the Consulship was similar to a modern day president or prime minster.  Two Consuls would be elected each year, with them sharing the executive branch of the Roman state. First and foremost, the two Consuls would act as leaders in the Senate – who would in turn serve as their advisors on topics ranging from the state coffers to declarations of war.

The Consuls would become the foremost judicial authority across the empire, alongside holding the right to control armies and lead the state into wars. As a last resort, when faced with a grave threat, Consuls could assume the position of a Dictator – granting them supreme control to deal with crises such as a foreign invasion.

Much like most modern day political systems, checks and balances existed to ensure that Consuls did not overstep their mark or gather too much power. The purpose of having two Consuls meant that no single figure could exert an overbearing influence over the Roman people, with each Consul able to veto the decrees of their partner. Consuls were also accountable to both the Tribunes (elected official tasked with protecting the citizenry), who also held a veto, and the Senate.

The Roman Republic was a state built around political achievement and authority (auctoritas), with the Consulship representing the ultimate prize in the political arena. Whilst a Consulship would only last for one year, achieving this rank would mark a Roman out as being part of the 1% of the 1% - giving their voice an increased weight in the Senate house and allowing an ex-Consul to set the tone of debates. The most influential figures of the Roman Republic, ranging from Cicero to Crassus, would reach the Consulship at some point, with those such as Julius Caesar or Marius holding the position multiple times.  

How to Run For Consul

Much like modern day politics, a successful candidate for the Consulship needed to run a savvy political campaign. The art of electioneering could make or break a senator’s reputation within the city, and was a required skill for any potential Consul to have a chance of winning Rome’s greatest prize. A variety of tips and tricks – such as remembering the names of potential votes, or wearing a specially whitened toga – were used by crafty politicians to tip the electoral scales in their favour.  

Cicero’s successful election campaign of 64 BC serves as a master class in electioneering. He was able to combine his strong public presence, cultivated through years spent in the law courts, alongside the networks of political support he had carefully crafted throughout the election. Not only did Cicero have the backing of Pompey the Great, but he was also able to gain considerable support through his ‘ground game’ (to borrow a modern electioneering term) in the municipalities to secure his hold on the Consulship.

However, in the swamp of Roman politics, most candidates for the Consulship eschewed lengthy political campaigns and relied on one thing alone – name recognition. The oligarchic nature of the Roman state meant that noble blood was the surest path to electoral success, with the electorate usually voting based on family lineage and aristocratic prestige.

Consular elections were not only heavily rigged in favour of the elite, but were plagued with corruption and bribery. Elections were frequently bought outright with cash gifts, or strong armed through the use of intimidation. The election of 56 BC highlights this clearly. Faced with strong opposition, Crassus and Pompey, working in tandem with Caesar, opted to whisk Caesar’s troops into Rome to provide extra voters in the city – alongside intimidating potential opponents. The result was the successful election of both Crassus and Pompey to the Consulship.

Same Old Faces

At a distance, it would seem that Consular elections provide a wealth of ideas for modern day politicians on the campaign trail. Ambitious politicians, keen to etch their name into history through the Consulship, draws parallels with today’s political arena.  Ideas about electioneering, political competition, and the executive branch have all been developed as a result of the Roman political system.

However, upon closer inspection, we should think twice before casting an overly positive judgement on Roman political practices. Elite entitlement, corruption and outright bribery formed core elements of Consular elections – with a conservative Roman electorate preferring to return candidates based on their names, regardless of talent or ability. To truly understand how politicians competed for the greatest prize in Roman politics, this less noble side of Rome must also be understood and appreciated.