Roman Magistrate at The Petit Palais, Paris

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This bronze sculpture represents a portion of a larger Roman Magistrate, crafted in the 11th Century and discovered in 1867. The Roman magistrates were elected officials who governed Ancient Rome. During the Roman Kingdom period, the King of Rome held absolute power as chief priest, lawgiver, judge, and sole commander of the army. Upon the king's death, his authority reverted to the Roman Senate, which then selected an Interrex to facilitate the election of a new king. As Rome transitioned from monarchy to republic, the constitutional balance shifted from the executive branch to the Roman Senate. When the Roman Republic was founded in 509 BC, the powers previously held by the king were transferred to two elected consuls per year. Magistrates of the republic were chosen by the People of Rome and vested with varying degrees of authority known as "major powers" (maior potestas). Dictators wielded more "major powers" than any other magistrate, followed in order by censors, consuls, praetors, curule aediles, and quaestors. Any magistrate could block ("veto") an action initiated by a magistrate with equal or lower magisterial powers. By definition, plebeian tribunes and plebeian aediles were technically not magistrates since they were elected solely by the plebeians, rendering them independent of all other powerful magistrates. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the globe for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and wish to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how you can assist.