The ''lex Atilia Marcia'' was a Roman law, introduced by the

tribunes of the plebs Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power o ...

Lucius Atilius and Gaius Marcius in 311 BC. The law empowered the people to elect 16

military tribune A military tribune (Latin ''tribunus militum'', "tribune of the soldiers") was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion. Young men of Equestrian rank often served as military tribune as a stepping stone ...

s for each of the four legions.

Background

The law was passed against a background of ongoing class struggle in

Republican Rome The Roman Republic ( la, Res publica Romana ) was a form of government of Rome and the era of the classical Roman civilization when it was run through public representation of the Roman people. Beginning with the overthrow of the Roman King ...

. Prior to this legislation military tribunes had been selected rather than elected, the position being largely in the gift of the commanding magistrates, the

dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a small clique. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to rule the republic in tim ...

or the

consuls A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...

Provisions

From 311 the 16 military tribunes were to be elected by popular vote. A separate piece of legislation was also passed enforcing the election of the naval commissioners in charge of commissioning and refitting the

fleet Fleet may refer to: Vehicles *Fishing fleet *Naval fleet *Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles *Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company Places Canada * Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet England * The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Beach ...

References

{{AncientRome-law-stub Roman law Reform in the Roman Republic 4th century BC in the Roman Republic

Background

Provisions

See also

References