What did the Roman Senate do?

The Roman Senate was an advisory body to Rome's magistrates and acted as a source of guidance to the state. Its decisions carried great weight, even if these were not always converted into laws in practice.

Who participated in the Roman Senate?

Roman senators were the city's most experienced public servants and society's elite, mostly from the aristocratic patrician class. Their numbers changed over time and was not fixed but there were probably between 300 and 600 senators at any one time.

What was the role of the Senate in the Roman empire?

The Roman Senate reflected the expansion of the Roman empire so that by the 3rd century CE, up to 50% of senators came from outside Italy.

How did the Roman Senate change in the empire compared to the republic?

The power of the Roman Senate diminished under the emperors but it still existed and debated the actions of an emperor, sometimes noting its disapproval. The Senate continued to play a role in Roman law and heard certain cases.

Roman Senate Timeline

Definition

The Roman Senate functioned as an advisory body to Rome's magistrates and was composed of the city's most experienced public servants and society's elite. Its decisions carried great weight, even if these were not always converted into laws in practice. The Senate continued to exert influence on government in the imperial period, albeit to a lesser degree.

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