Veterans voting in Roman elections

[Scipio Bristolus]

Reading a number of [secondary source] accounts of the run up to Caesars bids for power and the civil wars, there are references to assorted generals bringing their verterans into Rome to vote, as well as to intimidate people.

Is the former reason correct? How were they legally eligible to vote? Could all citizens vote? I ask as I don't recall mention of civilians flocking to Rome from other areas to vote.

cheers,

[Jona Lendering]

How were they legally eligible to vote? Could all citizens vote?

Yes, during the Republic and the reign of Augustus, all citizens could vote. There were two types of assembly: the comitia tributa was divided into 35 districts and elected the lower magistracies (aedile, quaestor); the comitia centuriata had 193 votes, elected the praetors and consuls, and the voting rights were based on census. There were five classes; if the two richest classes agreed, 100 votes had been reached, and the other classed had no reason to vote any more. The five classes were all supposed to fight; they held 192 votes; the others ("the proletarians") who could not afford armor, constituted the 193d vote.

This means that (a) all soldiers were allowed to vote, because voting right and the right to fight in an army were identical, and (b) that all male citizens were allowed to vote. However, for the consular and praetorian election, not every vote weighed the same.

[Scipio Bristolus]

Thanks Jona!