Legal Definitions - ambitus

Ambitus

Historically, ambitus refers to the unlawful act of acquiring a public office through bribery, gifts, or other forms of undue influence. It describes the corrupt practice of buying or selling a governmental position, rather than obtaining it through merit or legitimate election processes.

Here are a few examples to illustrate this historical concept:

• Imagine a scenario in ancient Rome where a wealthy citizen, eager to become a provincial governor, secretly offers a substantial sum of money and valuable property to a powerful senator. In exchange for these illicit payments, the senator uses his influence to ensure the citizen is appointed to the desired governorship.

  This illustrates ambitus because the public office (provincial governor) was procured not through legitimate means, but by the unlawful exchange of money and gifts for political influence.

• Consider a medieval city-state where a prominent guild master desires the prestigious and influential position of city magistrate. Instead of relying on his qualifications or public support, he hosts extravagant feasts for the city council members and their families, showering them with expensive gifts and promising lucrative contracts to their businesses once he is in office. The council members, swayed by these inducements, then vote to appoint him.

  This is an example of ambitus because the guild master secured a public office (city magistrate) through the improper use of gifts and promised favors, rather than through fair selection processes.

• In a historical kingdom, a nobleman wishes to secure the position of royal treasurer, a role that offers significant power and personal enrichment. He approaches the king's most trusted advisor and offers a secret percentage of all future treasury revenues, along with a large upfront payment, if the advisor can convince the king to appoint him. The advisor agrees and successfully lobbies the king for the nobleman's appointment.

  This situation exemplifies ambitus as the nobleman obtained a public office (royal treasurer) by unlawfully offering a share of public funds and a direct payment to an influential figure, effectively buying the position.