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

356 The Early Republic
Supervision If any one permitted his land to run to waste, and did
of the fanners
and the not plow or keep it in order, or if any one had neglected
knights.
his trees or vineyard, it was not with impunity; the matter
Aulu§ Gellius
iv. 12.
The authors
were Licinins
and
Sextius,
367 B.C.
Livy vi. 35.
42.
This paragraph
gives
the policy of
the tribunes.
humble origin, it grew in importance till it came to regulate
the morals and discipline of Rome, to revise the list of the
senators and knights, to mark the citizens with honor or
disgrace, and to control the revenues of the state. The
Romans instituted the office because the census and assessment
of citizens had not been taken for several years.
This work could no longer be deferred,
and the consuls
had no leisure to attend to it while wars with so many
states were impending.
fell within the censor's authority and the censors degraded
him. Also if any Roman knight had a horse in poor condition
or unseemly to look on, he was fined for lack of
proper grooming, which is the same as if you were to say
want of care. There are good authorities for both these
circumstances, and M. Cato has frequently attested them.
e. The Licinian Laws
The outward cause of political innovations, it seems,
was the huge amount of debt, for which trouble the plebeians
could hope for no relief unless men of their own class
were placed in the highest governmental position.
It was
necessary earnestly to think about it. By tentative efforts
and working the plebeians, they said, had reached
that point of advancement whence if they strove further,
they might be able to reach the highest things and be
placed on a level with the senatorial class in honor as well
as in merit. For the present it was determined to have
tribunes of the people chosen, in which office they might
find a way for themselves to the other honors of state.
And C. Licinius and L. Sextius were elected tribunes