Legal Definitions - senatus

Senatus

In Roman law and history, the term senatus refers to:

• The Roman Senate: This was the primary deliberative and advisory body of the ancient Roman Republic and Empire, composed of elder statesmen and influential citizens. It played a crucial role in governance, legislation, and foreign policy.
• The Meeting Place of the Roman Senate: This refers to the specific building or chamber where the Roman Senate convened to conduct its business, such as the Curia Hostilia or the Curia Julia in the Roman Forum.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of senatus:

• A historian studying the political landscape of ancient Rome might analyze the decrees issued by the senatus during the Punic Wars, examining how this powerful assembly advised the consuls and directed military strategy.

  This example illustrates the first meaning, referring to the Roman Senate as a governing body that made significant decisions and offered counsel.

• During an archaeological dig in the Roman Forum, researchers might uncover the remains of a grand, rectangular building with a large assembly hall, identifying it as the senatus – the very structure where senators gathered to debate laws and discuss state affairs.

  Here, senatus refers to the physical location, the specific building that served as the meeting place for the Roman Senate.

• A scholar examining the transition from the Roman Republic to the Empire might discuss how the authority of the senatus gradually diminished under the rule of emperors, who increasingly centralized power and reduced the Senate's legislative influence.

  This example again highlights the senatus as the collective body of Roman senators, whose power and role evolved over different periods of Roman history.