and praetors
had hitherto been these. The consuls had the general superintendence
of all except judicial matters at home, and the military
superintendence in all the provinces except Sicily, Sardinia, and the
two Spains, in which they only occasionally exercised their imperium.
One praetor, the Praetor Urbanus, presided over civil suits between
Roman citizens. Another, the Praetor Peregrinus, superintended such
suits between a citizen and an alien or between two aliens. The other
four were over the four above-mentioned provinces. In case of need
one man could do the work both of the Praetor Urbanus and the Praetor
Peregrinus, leaving his colleague free for a military command. Or the
consul or praetor might have his term of office extended, being bound
to continue in his command till a successor arrived. Or one consul
might manage the ordinary functions of both, and the other be
similarly left free for some special employment. The Senate could in
any given year assign, as business to be superintended by a consul or
a praetor, some military command or judicial commission, and then the
consuls or praetors had to settle by lot or by agreement who should
undertake it. As the State grew greater these special assignations had
to be made oftener. [Sidenote: The new scheme.] There had been eight
officials for eight offices; now five new superintendents had to be
provided for Asia, Africa, Macedonia, Narbo, and Cilicia, as well as
one for the Quaestio de Repetundis. To enable eight men to do the work
of fourteen the Senate made prolongation of office for a second year
the rule, and the officials confined by the nature of these duties to
the city during these years of office were generally sent at the end
of it to the transmarine provinces where most money was to be made.
Sulla increased the six praetors to eight, and made the two years'
term of office the legal term. But if this added to their power in
appearance, he diminished it in reality by separating the civil from
the military functions altogether. The consuls and praetors were to
manage the civil business of Rome. The proconsuls and propraetors were
to command the army. In the first year of office the two consuls
had the general administration of Rome, and two of the praetors its
judicial administration. The other six presided over the various
courts. In the second the ten exercised the imperium in Sicily,
Sardinia, the two Spains, Asia, Africa, Macedonia, Cilicia, and the