There were ten Tribunes, elected in the Comitia Tributa. They were
always plebeians, and their chief power lay in their right to veto any
decree of the Senate, any law of the Comitia, and any public act of
a magistrate. Their persons were considered sacred, and no one could
hinder them in the discharge of their official duties under penalty
of death. They called together the Comitia Tributa, and they also had
authority to convene the Senate and to preside over it. Sulla succeeded
in restricting their power; but Pompey restored it. The Tribunes did not
possess the _imperium_.

CENSORS.

There were two Censors, chosen from Ex-Consuls, and they held office for
eighteen months. They were elected once every five years, this period
being called a _lustrum_. They ranked as higher magistrates without
possessing the _imperium_. Their duties were:

(1) To take the census, i.e. register the citizens and their amount of
property, and to fill all vacancies in the Senate. (2) To have a general
oversight of the finances, like our Secretary of the Treasury; to
contract for the erecting of public buildings, and for the making or
repairing of public roads, sewers, etc.; to let out the privilege of
collecting the taxes, for five years, to the highest bidder.(Footnote:
In the intervals of the censorship, the duties under (2) fell to the
Aediles. ) (3) To punish gross immorality by removal of the guilty
parties from the Senate, the Equites, or the tribe.

DICTATOR.

In cases of great danger the Senate called upon the Consuls to appoint
a Dictator, who should possess supreme power, but whose tenure of
office could never exceed six months. In later times Dictators were
not appointed, but Consuls were invested with the authority if it was
thought necessary. Sulla and Caesar, however, revived the office, but
changed its tenure, the latter holding it for life.

MAGISTER EQUITUM.

This was an officer appointed by the Dictator, to stand next in
authority to him, and act as a sort of Vice-Dictator.

PONTIFICES.

The priests formed a body (_collegium_) of fifteen members, at the head
of whom was the Pontifex Maximus (high priest). Their tenure of office
was for life, and they were responsible to no one in the discharge of
their duties. Their influence was necessarily very great.

IMPERIUM.

This was a power to command the armies, and to exercise judicial
functions conferred upon a magistrate (Dictator, Consul, or Praetor)