Roman Towns

[PVarro]

So I know large towns in the later Empire had Prefects who ran the cities, but how were the majority of Roman towns governed? Did they have a sort of town Senate? Or was there an elected official?

 

Thanks in advance. Paul

[Ursus]

In the East, a council (concilium) of leading provincial citizens advised the local governor - or sent embassies to the Senate and Emperor when they wanted to bypass the local governor. They also organized the imperial ruler cult under paganism, and under Christianity included bishops.

 

In the West, the newly urbanized centers had governments similar to what the Republican government of Rome had been when Rome was a mere city-state, not an empire. A class of people were known as decuriones or curiales, or municipal advisors, the local landed elite. The town senate was known as the ordo. Duoviri iuridicundo were the two senior magistrates. Aediles maintained public buildings and entertainment. Quaestores were the financial officers. The censitor was the record keeper. These positions were elected at first but seem to have become increasingly hereditary.

[phil25]

I think it slightly depended on whether an urban area was a "colonia" or a "municipium".

 

I have read quite a bit about Pompeii in early imperial times - a coloonia established by Sulla.

 

There was usually a patron, and every five years or so, quinquennial duoviri - eqivalent to censors in Rome.

 

The town council was headed by two "duoviri" supported by two aediles all elected by those with the necessary qualifications.

 

The town council was of indefinite size but made up of freemen. there is evidence of a rich freed-slave who endowed the city in the name of his son (born free) so that he could be elected to the council.

 

Phil