Who were the Roman Consuls?

A Consul held the highest executive position in the classical Roman Republic. Before the rise of the imperial regimes of Emperor Octavian and his successors, Rome was governed by a republican system of government. This system balanced power between the plebeians (the commoners) and the patricians (aristocrats) and between the legislative and executive branches.

After the establishment of the Empire (27 BC), the consuls became mere symbolic representatives of Rome’s republican heritage and held very little power and authority, with the Emperor acting as the supreme authority.

The Most Powerful Magistrates in Rome

Before Christ / Before Common Era
34M. Antonius IIL. Scribonius Libo
33Imp. Caesar IIL. Volcacius Tullus
32Cn. Domitius AhenobarbusC. Sosius
31Imp. Caesar IIIM. Valerius Messalla Corvinus
30Imp. Caesar IVM. Licinius Crassus
29Imp. Caesar VSex. Appuleius
28Imp. Caesar VIM.Vipsanius Agrippa II
27Imp. Caesar VIIM.Vipsanius Agrippa III
26Imp. Caesar Augustus VIIIT. Statilius Taurus II
25Imp. Caesar Augustus IXM. Junius Silanus
24Imp. Caesar Augustus XC. Norbanus Flaccus
23Imp. Caesar Augustus XIA. Terentius Varro Murena
22M. Claudius Marcellus AeserninusL. Arruntius
21M. LolliusQ. Aemilius Lepidus
20M. AppuleiusP. Silius Nerva
19C. Sentius SaturninusQ. Lucretius Vespillo
18P. Cornelius Lentulus MarcellinusCn. Cornelius Lentulus
17C. FurniusC. Junius Silanus
16L. Domitius AhenobarbusP. Cornelius Scipio
15M. Livius Drusus LiboL. Calpurnius Piso Frugi (Pontifex)
14M. Licinius CrassusCn. Cornelius Lentulus (Augur)
13Ti. Claudius Nero IP. Quinctilius Varus
12M. Velerius Messalla Barbatus AppianusP. Sulpicius Quirinius
11Q. Aelius TuberoPaullus Fabius Maximus
10Africanus Fabius MaximusIullus Antonius
09Nero Claudius DrususT. Quinctius Crispinus (Sulpicianus)
08C. Marcius CensorinusC. Asinius Gallus
07Ti. Claudius Nero IICn. Calpurnius Piso
06D. Laelius BalbusC. Antistius Vetus
05Imp. Caesar Augustus XIIL. Cornelius Sulla
04C. Calvisius SabinusL. Passienus Rufus
03L. Cornelius LentulusM. Valerius Messalla Messallinus
02Imp. Caesar Augustus XIIIM. Plautius Silvanus
01Cossus Cornelius LentulusL. Calpurnius Piso (Augur)
Anno Domini / Common Era
01C. CaesarL. Aemilius Paullus
02P. ViniciusP. Alfenus Varus
03L. Aelius LamiaM. Servilius
04Sex. Aelius CatusC. Sentius Saturninus
05L. Valerius Messalla VolesusCn. Cornelius Cinna Magnus
06M. Aemilius LepidusL. Arruntius
07Q. Caecilius Metellus Creticus SilanusA. Licinius Nerva Silianus
08M. Furius CamillusSex. Nonius Quinctilianus
09C. Poppaeus SabinusQ. Sulpicius Camerinus
10P. Cornelius DolabellaC. Julius Silanus
11M’. Aemilius LepidusT. Statilius Taurus
12Germanicus CaesarC. Fonteius Capito
13C. Silius A. Caecina LargusL. Munatius Plancus
14Sex. PompeiusSex. Appuleius
15Drusus CaesarC. Nortanus Flaccus
16Sisenna Statilius TaurusL. Scribonius Libo
17L. Pomponius FlaccusC. Caelius Rufus (or Nepos)
18Ti. Caesar Augustus IIIGermanicus Caesar II
19M. Iunius Silanus TorquatusL. Norbanus Balbus
20M. Valerius Messalla MessallinusM. Aurelius Cotta Maximus Messallinus
21Tiberius Caesar IVDrusus Caesar II
22D. Haterius AgrippaC. Sulpicius Galba
23C. Asinius PollioC. Antistius Vetus
24Ser. Cornelius CethegusL. Visellius Varro
25Cossus Cornelius LentulusM. Asinius Agrippa
26Cn. Cornelius Lentulus GaeticulusC. Calvisius Sabinus
27L. Calpurnius PisoM. Licinius Crassus Frugi
28C. Appius Iunius SilanusP. Silius Nerva
29C. Fufius GeminusL. Rubellius Geminus
30M. ViniciusL. Cassius Longinus
31Tiberius Caesar VL. Aelius Seianus
32Cn. Domitius AhenobarbusL. Arruntius (Furius) Camillus Scribonianus
33L. Livius Ocella Sulpicius GalbaL. Cornelius Sulla Felix
34Paullus Fabius PersicusL. Vitellius
35C. Cestius GallusM. Servilius Nonianus
36Sex. Papinius AlleniusQ. Plautius
37Cn. Acerronius ProculusC. Petronius Pontius Nigrinus
38M. Aquila IulianusP. Nonius Asprenas
39C. Caesar Augustus Germanicus IIL. Apronius Caesianus
40C. Caesar IIIC. Laecanius Bassus
41C. Caesar IVCn. Sentius Saturninus
42Ti. Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus IIC. Caecina Largus
43Ti. Claudius IIIL. Vitellius
44T. Statilius TaurusC. (Sallustius) Passienus Crispus
45M. Vinicius IIT. Statilius Taurus Corvinus
46D. Valerius Asiaticus IIM. Iunius Silanus
47Ti. Claudius IVL. Vitellius III
48A. VitelliusL. Vipstanus Publicola Messalla
49Q. VeraniusC. Pompeius Longinus Gallus
50C. Antistius Vetus IIM. Suillius Nerullinus
51Ti. Claudius VSer. Cornelius (Scipio) Salvedienus Orfitus
52Faustus Cornelius Sulla FelixL. Salvius Otho Titianus
53D. Iunius Silanus TorquatusQ. Haterus Antoninus
54M’. Acilius AviolaM. Asinius Marcellus
55Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus GermanicusL. Antistius Vetus
56Q. Volusius SaturninusP. Cornelius (Lentulus?) Scipio
57Nero IIL. Calpurnius Piso
58Nero IIIM. Valerius Messalla Corvinus
59C. Vipstanus ApronianusC. Fonteius Capito
60Nero IVCossus Cornelius Lentulus
61P. Petronius TurpilianusL. Caesennius Paetus
62P. Marius CelsusL. Asinius Gallus
63C. Memmius RegulusL. Verginius Rufus
64C. Laecianus BassusM. Licinius Crassus Frugi
65A. Licinius Nerva Silianus Firmus PasidienusM. (Iulius) Vestinus Atticus
66C. Luccius TelesinusC. Suetonius Paullinus II
67L. Iulius RufusFonteius Capito
68Ti. Catius Asconius Silius ItalicusP. Galerius Trachalus
69Ser. Sulpicius Galba Imp. Caesar Aug. IIT. Vinius (Rufinus?)
70Imp. Caesar Vespasianus Augustus IITitus Caesar Vespasianus
71Imp. Vespasianus IIIM. Cocceius Nerva
72Imp. Vespasianus IVTitus Caesar II
73Caesar Domitianus IIL. Valerius Catullus Messallinus
74Imp. Vespasianus VTitus Caesar III
75Imp. Vespasianus VITitus Caesar IV
76Imp. Vespasianus VIITitus Caesar V
77Imp. Vespasianus VIITitus Caesar VI
78D. Iunius Novius Priscus (Rufus?)L. Ceionius Commodus
79Imp. Vespasianus IXTitus Caesar VII
80Imp. Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus VIIICaesar Domitianus VII
81L. Flavius Silva Nonius BassusL.? Asinius Pollio Verrucosus
82Imp. Domitianus VIIIT. Flavius Sabinus
83Imp. Domitianus IXQ. Petillius Rufus II
84Imp. Domitianus XC. Oppius Sabinus
85Imp. Domitianus XIT. Aurelius Fulvus
86Imp. Domitianus XIISer. Cornelius Dolabella Petronianus
87Imp. Domitianus XIIIL. Volusius Saturninus
88Imp. Domitianus XIVL. Minucius Rufus
89T. Aurelius FulvusM. Asinius Atratinus
90Imp. Domitianus XVM. Cocceius Nerva II
91M’. Acilius GlabrioM. Ulpius Traianus
92Imp. Domitianus XVIQ. Volusius Saturninus
93Sex. Pompeius CollegaQ. Peducaeus Priscinus
94L. Nonius Calpurnius Asprenas TorquatusT. Sextius Magius Lateranus
95Imp. Domitianus XVIIT. Flavius Clemens
96C. Manlius ValensC. Antistius Vetus
97Imp. Nerva Caesar Augustus IIIL. Verginius Rufus III
98Imp. Nerva IVImp. Caesar Nerva Traianus Augustus II
99A. Cornelius Palma FrontonianusQ. Sosius Senecio
100Imp. Traianus IIISex. Iulus Frontinus III

 Common Questions about Consuls

What rules limit the consuls power?

The powers of the praetors, aediles, and quaestors were limited only by laws and decrees passed by the Senate or the People’s assembly, and could only be overruled by a veto from a consul or tribune. This meant that consuls held the power to intervene and overturn decisions made by these lower-ranking officials.

What was the role of a Roman consul?

Consuls, were in a very real sense the heads of state. They commanded the army, convened and presided over the Senate and the popular assemblies and executed their decrees, and represented the state in foreign affairs.

What rules were placed on consuls in Rome?

Consuls were elected by the citizen body and always governed in pairs, with each consul holding veto power over the other’s decisions. The two men would have total executive authority over the running of Rome and its provinces, holding office for one full year before both were replaced.

How long was a consul serve?

A Roman consul was the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic. Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term.