Roman Senate (Byzatium)
Roman Senate Ρωμαϊκή Σύγκλητος Romaïkí Synklētos | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | April 21, 753 BC |
| Leadership | |
Princeps Senatus | Georgios Sphrantzes since May 15, 2019 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 300 |
Length of term | Life |
| Elections | |
| Appointment or cooptation | |
| Motto | |
| Senatus Populusque Romanus | |
The Roman Senate is the upper chamber of the parliament of the Byzantine Empire. The Roman Senate and the lower chamber of Congress, the House of Representatives, comprise the bicameral legislature of the Byzantine Empire. Together, the Senate and the House maintain authority to propose imperial legislation to the Emperor. The Senate has exclusive power to confirm imperial appointments and approve or reject treaties. The most important function of the Roman Senate is to advise and assist the Roman Emperor.
The composition and powers of the Senate are established by the Constitution of the Empire. In total, the Senate consists of 300 members. Each senator is selected by reason of his career at the service of the State, or is appointed by the Emperor.
The Senate has several functions of advice and consent. These include the approval of treaties, as well as the confidence to the members of Council of Ministers of the Empire, confirmation of senior judges, senior officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, and other senior officials.
The Senate has typically been considered both a more advisory and prestigious body than the House of Representatives.
Functions
Legislation
Bills may be introduced in either chamber of the parliamnt of the Byzantine Empire. The Senate does not have the power to initiate bills imposing taxes but it has the power to initiate appropriation bills.
The approval of both houses is required for any bill, including a revenue bill, to be proposed to the Emperor for consideration. Both Houses must pass the same version of the bill; if there are differences, they may be resolved by sending amendments back and forth or by a conference committee, which includes members of both bodies.
Advice and consent The Constitution provides several unique functions for the Senate that form its ability to advise and support the Emperor. These include the requirement that the Senate may advise and must consent to some of the Emperor's government appointments; also the Senate must consent to all treaties with foreign governments; it confirms the Roman Emperor.
The Emperor can make certain appointments only with the advice and consent of the Senate. Officials whose appointments require the Senate's approval include members of the Council of Ministers, heads of several executive agencies, ambassadors, and senior judges.
Typically, a nominee is the first subject to a hearing before a Senate committee. Thereafter, the nomination is considered by the full Senate. The majority of nominees are confirmed; however, in a small number of cases each year, Senate committees purposely fail to act on a nomination to block it. In addition, the Emperor sometimes withdraws nominations when they appear unlikely to be confirmed. Outright rejections of nominees on the Senate floor are infrequent.
Although the Senate's advice and consent are required for the appointment of certain executive officials, it is not necessary for their removal.
The Senate also has a role in ratifying treaties. The Constitution provides that the Emperor may only "make Treaties, provided a majority of the senators present concur". However, not all international agreements are considered treaties under Roman law.
Imperial Election
The succession to the imperial throne of the Roman State in the East is the result of a centuries-old evolution. In theory, the principle of selecting the individual most suitable to lead the State applies: the reigning Emperor selects his heir and he is confirmed by the Roman Senate and the Armed Forces.
In practice, the principle of male preference primogeniture applies: the reigning Emperor systematically indicates his first-born male child as Heir and the confirmation of the Senate and the Armed Forces is taken for granted if a formal opposition does not arise within a short time from the official proclamation. This form of succeession accords succession to the throne to a female member of a dynasty if and only if she has no living brothers and no deceased brothers who left surviving legitimate descendants.
When an Emperor dies without a designated heir, the Roman Senate and the Armed Forces elect a new Emperor who is judged to be a valid and capable leader. On such occasions, the Armed Forces are represented by the National Security Council, while the Senate is integrated into its composition by the leadership of the House of Representatives and by those leading politicians who are not already members of the Senate itself.
Membership
The Roman Senate has 300 Senators. The Senate is not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the Roman Emperor, subject to certain qualifications. The senate is mostly composed of statesmen and officials, ranging from the most important statesmen to provincial governors and retired civil servants. After a senior official served his term in certain offices, it usually is followed with automatic appointment to the Senate. Sometimes, a senior position entitles by law to the membership of the Senate.
The normal way of becoming a member of the senate itself is by holding a senior position in the government. It is important to note that being a Senator is generally a secondary career for most of the senate's members, who usually possessed important positions within the administrative and/or political machinery of the Empire.
The Emperor or the Senate itself could also issue a decree to grant a man not possessing senatorial qualifications a seat in the senate.
Qualifications
The Constitution, sets three qualifications for senators: (1) they must be at least 30 years old; (2) they must have been Roman citizens for at least fifteen years; and (3) they must reside in Costantinople.
The Constitution disqualifies as senators anyone who had taken the requisite oath of allegiance to the Empire but who later engaged in rebellion or aided the enemies of the Empire.
The Senate is the sole judge of a senator's qualifications. The Senate may expel a senator by a two-thirds vote.
Members by office held
The following 35 officials are automatically granted a seat in the Roman Senate:
- Prime Minister of the Empire;
- Ecumenical Patriarch of Costantinople;
- Ministers (11);
- Provincial Governors (17);
- Patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Churches whose Seat is within the current borders of the Empire (Athens, Antiochia, Serdica, Singidonon);
- Chief of General Staff.
These senators expire when their associated office ceases.
Members by birth
The following 13 people are granted a seat in the Roman Senate by virtue of their birth:
- Sebastokrator;
- Despots;
- Dukes (12);
It is to note that at least 13 people are members by birth; however, it may be possible that several adult males of the Imperial family sit in the Roman Senate. Male members of the Imperial family sit immediately behind the President of the Senate. Nobles entitled to sit by birth begin to attend the Senate once they reach twenty-one years of age and are allowed to vote once they reach twenty-five.
Members by cooptation or appointment
The Senate may cooptate within its own ranks and the Emperor may appoint to the Senate any Roman citizen chosen from those who occupied one or more of these positions without censure or reprimand:
- Archeparchs, Metropolitans, and Bishops whose sees are within the current borders of the Empire;
- Undersecretaries of State;
- The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Roman State in the East;
- Former Members of the House of Representatives of the Roman State in the East who had served for more than seven years;
- Ambassadors;
- Dukes of Victory;
- Retired Ambassadors;
- Retired General and flag officers;
- Retired Heads of Imperial executive agencies or departments who had served over seven years;
- Heads of Imperial executive agencies or departments who had served over ten years;
- Komis;
- Archons;
- Anyone who had glorified the nation through outstanding service or merit.
Senators by cooptation or appointment are the "filler" category, meaning that they may be cooptated or appointed only if the total number of Senators does not exceed 300. On the other hand, no Senator expires from office if he (or she) takes office within the numeric limit of 300 Senators and then, by accession of those entitled to the Senatorial seat by office or by birth, this limit is exceeded.
President of the Roman Senate
Under the Constitution, the Roman Emperor serves as president of the Roman Senate when sitting. Since the 1950s, Roman Emperors have presided over few Senate debates. Instead, they have usually presided only on ceremonial occasions, such as swearing in new senators, joint sessions, or at times to announce some important news.
The Senate elects a president pro tempore, who presides over the chamber in the Emperor's absence and is, by custom, the senator with the longest record of continuous service. The president pro tempore holds the formal title of Princeps Senatus (Latin form Prince or First One of the Senate). Frequently, freshmen senators (newly inducted members) are asked to preside alongside the Princeps Senatus, so that they may become accustomed to the rules and procedures of the body.
The presiding officer sits in a chair in the front of the Senate chamber. The powers of the presiding officer of the Senate are less extensive than those of the speaker of the House. The presiding officer calls on senators to speak (by the rules of the Senate, the first senator who rises is recognized); ruling on points of order (objections by senators that a rule has been breached); and announcing the results of votes. If the Emperor presides over the Senate, he is flanked by the Prime Minister of the Empire and by the Princeps Senatus.