Quaestor
Encyclopedia
A Quaestor (ˈkwiːstər or ˈkʷajstor) was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum
" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic
a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire
, quaestors were simply appointed.
Today quaestor is used as the title of financial oversight officials, and as a senior police rank in Italy and Romania.
who supervised the treasury and financial affairs of the state, its armies and its officers. The office may date back to the time of the Kingdom of Rome. By about 420 BC
there were four Quaestors, elected each year by the Comitia Tributa, and after 267 BC
there were ten. Some Quaestors were assigned to work in the City, while others were assigned to the staffs of general
s or served as Lieutenant governor
s in the provinces. Still others were assigned to oversee military finances.
Quaestors were originally appointed by the consuls to investigate criminal acts and determine whether the consul needed to take public action. They eventually became elected officials and took on additional responsibilities, such as supervising the treasury (for which they are best known). The office of Quaestor was adopted as part of the cursus honorum
.
During the reforms of Sulla
in 81 BC
, the minimum age for a quaestorship was set at 30 for patricians and at 32 for plebeians, and election to the quaestorship gave automatic membership in the Senate. Before that, the censors
revised the rolls of the Senate less regularly than the annual induction of quaestors created. The number of quaestors was also raised to 20.
During Late Antiquity
, the office of quaestor sacri palatii
existed, created by Constantine the Great, which functioned as the Roman Empire
's senior legal official. Emperor Justinian I
also created the offices of quaesitor, a judicial and police official for Constantinople
, and the quaestor exercitus, a short-lived joint military-administrative post covering the border of the lower Danube
. The quaestor sacri palatii survived long in the Byzantine Empire, albeit with his duties altered to coincide with those of the quaesitor. The term is last attested in Byzantium in the 14th century, as a purely honorific dignity.
), and his office is called questura. Some quaestors have other assignments, however.
In Romania
a quaestor (Romanian: chestor) is also a senior police rank.
Some ancient British universities, such as the University of St Andrews
, have a Quaestor whose who is responsible for financial management.
In the United States, the Sigma Chi Fraternity
and the Kappa Delta Rho
Fraternity currently uses the Officer title Quaestor as their treasurer's name as he oversees the financial obligations of the Fraternity.
studentclubs the word Quaestor is used as the function of Treasurer
, who is responsible for the club's (presidium
) finances.
Cursus honorum
The cursus honorum was the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in both the Roman Republic and the early Empire. It was designed for men of senatorial rank. The cursus honorum comprised a mixture of military and political administration posts. Each office had a minimum...
" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, quaestors were simply appointed.
Today quaestor is used as the title of financial oversight officials, and as a senior police rank in Italy and Romania.
History
Quaestors were elected officials of the Roman RepublicRoman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
who supervised the treasury and financial affairs of the state, its armies and its officers. The office may date back to the time of the Kingdom of Rome. By about 420 BC
420 BC
Year 420 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Cincinnatus, Vulso, Medullinus and Atratinus...
there were four Quaestors, elected each year by the Comitia Tributa, and after 267 BC
267 BC
Year 267 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Regulus and Libo...
there were ten. Some Quaestors were assigned to work in the City, while others were assigned to the staffs of general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
s or served as Lieutenant governor
Roman governor
A Roman governor was an official either elected or appointed to be the chief administrator of Roman law throughout one or more of the many provinces constituting the Roman Empire...
s in the provinces. Still others were assigned to oversee military finances.
Quaestors were originally appointed by the consuls to investigate criminal acts and determine whether the consul needed to take public action. They eventually became elected officials and took on additional responsibilities, such as supervising the treasury (for which they are best known). The office of Quaestor was adopted as part of the cursus honorum
Cursus honorum
The cursus honorum was the sequential order of public offices held by aspiring politicians in both the Roman Republic and the early Empire. It was designed for men of senatorial rank. The cursus honorum comprised a mixture of military and political administration posts. Each office had a minimum...
.
During the reforms of Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
in 81 BC
81 BC
Year 81 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Decula and Dolabella...
, the minimum age for a quaestorship was set at 30 for patricians and at 32 for plebeians, and election to the quaestorship gave automatic membership in the Senate. Before that, the censors
Censor (ancient Rome)
The censor was an officer in ancient Rome who was responsible for maintaining the census, supervising public morality, and overseeing certain aspects of the government's finances....
revised the rolls of the Senate less regularly than the annual induction of quaestors created. The number of quaestors was also raised to 20.
During Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, the office of quaestor sacri palatii
Quaestor sacri palatii
The quaestor sacri palatii , in English Quaestor of the Sacred Palace, was the senior legal authority in the late Roman and early Byzantine empires, responsible for drafting laws. In the later Byzantine Empire, the office of the quaestor was altered and it became a senior judicial official for the...
existed, created by Constantine the Great, which functioned as the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
's senior legal official. Emperor Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
also created the offices of quaesitor, a judicial and police official for Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, and the quaestor exercitus, a short-lived joint military-administrative post covering the border of the lower Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. The quaestor sacri palatii survived long in the Byzantine Empire, albeit with his duties altered to coincide with those of the quaesitor. The term is last attested in Byzantium in the 14th century, as a purely honorific dignity.
Police
In Italy a quaestor (Italian: questore) heads the police of his province (Polizia di StatoPolizia di Stato
The Polizia di Stato is one of the national police forces of Italy.It is the main police force for providing police duties and it is also responsible for patrolling motorways , railways , airports , customs as well as certain waterways, and assisting the local police...
), and his office is called questura. Some quaestors have other assignments, however.
In Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
a quaestor (Romanian: chestor) is also a senior police rank.
Financial oversight
The European Parliament has six Quaestors to look after the financial and administrative needs of its members.Some ancient British universities, such as the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, have a Quaestor whose who is responsible for financial management.
In the United States, the Sigma Chi Fraternity
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
and the Kappa Delta Rho
Kappa Delta Rho
Kappa Delta Rho is an American college social fraternity, with 77 chapters spread out over the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions...
Fraternity currently uses the Officer title Quaestor as their treasurer's name as he oversees the financial obligations of the Fraternity.
University life
In FlemishFlemish
Flemish can refer to anything related to Flanders, and may refer directly to the following articles:*Flemish, an informal, though linguistically incorrect, name of any kind of the Dutch language as spoken in Belgium....
studentclubs the word Quaestor is used as the function of Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, who is responsible for the club's (presidium
Presidium
The presidium or praesidium is the name for the heading organ of various legislative and organizational bodies.-Historical usage:...
) finances.
Sources of further reading
- Bourne, Frank (Princeton University). "A History of the Romans" Boston, MA. 1967, D.C. Heath and Company