Magistracy Quotes
Member of the Triumvirate. Even though Rome had an Emperor, official positions were elected. Today we are worried because citizens bribe officials or “give” them campaign contributions, but in Rome, the reverse was the problem—namely that candidates for public office would bribe citizens or entertain them to garner their votes. As you can see from this law, this was strictly prohibited in the Roman Empire. In the year before the election a candidate could not even have a party for more than 9 people. This law was actually drafted by Julius Caesar. Antony later issued it.
The General Court was then the legislature.
The separation of powers concept was adopted from the American Constitution of the previous year. See {585394}.
This law is the basis of many in the world to this day, including the United States. The law allowed Romans whose property had been unlawfully confiscated to recover from the person who took the property by bringing a case in the Roman Courts. This law exempted the highest public officials from being brought before the courts while they were serving their term of office, but as the quoted clause indicates, these high officials were not above the law and could be summoned to court AFTER their term of office.
