Sandberg Kaj. Magistrates and Assemblies: A Study of Legislative Practice in Republican Rome

Institutum Romanum Finlandiae, 2001. — 212 p.The sovereignty of the populus Romanus was, at least in theory, very foundation of the republican constitution. Exactly to what extent this notion was more than a mere ideological conception is still a matter for debate, but it remains an indisputable fact that the popular vote was essential to the operation of the Roman state. Only the people could confer magistracies (and best of imperium), pass judgement on capital crimes and, indeed, make law. The popular will found expression in the decisions of the popular assemblies, which could be summoned only by a magistrate duly invested with the is cum populo agendi or the ius cum plebe agendi.