deceased members of the family of curule rank.

A person who first held a curule office, and whose ancestors had never
held one, was called a _novus homo_, i. e. a new man. The most
famous new men were Marius and Cicero.

The magistrates were chosen only from the patricians in the early
republic; but in course of time the plebeians shared these honors.
The plebeian magistrates, properly so called, were the plebeian
Aediles and the Tribúni Plebis.

All the magistrates, except the Censor, were elected for one year; and
all but the Tribunes and Quaestors began their term of office on
January 1st. The Tribune's year began December 10th; that of the
Quaestor, December 5th.

The offices, except that of Tribune, formed a gradation, through which
one must pass if he desired the consulship. The earliest age for
holding each was, for the quaestorship, twenty-seven years; for the
aedileship, thirty-seven; for the praetorship, forty; and for the
consulship, forty-three. No magistrate received any salary, and only
the wealthy could afford to hold office.


THE CONSULS.

The two Consuls were the highest magistrates, except when a Dictator
was appointed, and were the chiefs of the administration. Their power
was equal, and they had the right before all others of summoning the
Senate and the Comitia Centuriáta, in each of which they presided.