A source-book of ancient history - The Search For Mecca

Early Republican Institutions 349
strength, he chose into it the principal men from the class
of knights so as to complete the number three hundred,
which the king's murders had diminished.
Then the Romans attended to religious matters. The ^ng of the
kings had performed a part of the public worship ; and in {Rex sacroorder
that their service might not be missed, a king of the
sacrifices was appointed. This priestly oflSce the Romans
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made subject to the chief pontiff, in order that
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too great 29;
1 1111 r 1 • -1 Ancient
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honor, added to the name of kmg, might not endanger their World, 340.
liberty, now their chief care.
In that period the senate maintained the commonwealth The senate
cicero, Re-
in such a condition that, though the people were free, they
had little to do with the government; for the senate managed
nearly all public business by its own authority and
according to its own customs and traditions, while over
all, the consuls exercised a power which, though annual,
was by nature and law truly royal. They earnestly enforced
that rule which has done so much to maintain the
power of the nobles, that the acts of the popular assembly
should not be valid unless approved by the senate.
suls.
P'^blk, ii, 32.
Scarcely ten years after the first consuls, Titus Lartius The dictawas
appointed first dictator. This new office seemed like
the royal power restored.
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Immediately after receiving his authority, he appointed Dionysius v.
Spurius Cassius master of horse, for no one to this day ^^'
when chosen dictator enters upon his office without a master
of horse.
Wishing to make a display of his power for
the purpose of striking terror rather than for any real use,
he bade his lictors bear through the city their axes bound
in rods (fasces). This was a custom of the kings but
abandoned by the consuls, for Valerius Publicola made the
change in order to render the consular office less hateful to
the people-