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The Romans did not have a parliament is the modern sense of the word; that is, a house of representatives elected by the people. The Roman senate was not an elected body and did not represent the people. Senators were members of the aristocracy and former officers of state. The senate did not legislate, but could issue decrees. It generally represented the interests of the aristocracy.

During the republican period, bills were voted on by the people directly by voting in the popular assemblies. Originally the consuls (the two annually elected heads of the republic) submitted bills to the vote of the Assembly of the Soldiers. Later the plebeian tribunes proposed bills to the vote of the Plebeian Council (this is the origin of the word plebiscite).

The Assembly of the Soldiers elected the senior officers of state and the Assembly of the Tribes elected the junior ones. However, these officers were not representatives of the people. They performed executive functions.

During the period of rule by emperors the emperors were absolute rulers.

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11y ago

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