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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Qualifications to Become a Member of the Roman Senate

Qualifications to Become a Member of the Roman Senate In historical fiction members of the Roman Senate or young men who dodge their civic responsibilities but who are senatorial material are rich. Did they have to be? Were there property or other qualifications to become a member of the Roman Senate? The answer to this question is one that I need to repeat more often: Ancient Roman history spanned two millennia and over that time, things changed. Several modern historical fiction mystery writers, like David Wishart, are dealing with the early part of the Imperial Period, known as the Principate. Property Requirements Augustus instituted a property requirement for senators. The sum he set it at was, at first, 400,000 sesterces, but then he raised the requirement to 1,200,000 sesterces. Men who needed help meeting this requirement were at this time given grants. Should they mismanage their funds, they were expected to step down. Prior to Augustus, however, the selection of senators was in the hands of the censors and before the institution of the office of censor, selection was by the people, kings, consuls, or consular tribunes. The senators selected were from the wealthy, and generally from those who had already held a position as magistrate. In the period of the Roman Republic, there were 300 senators, but then Sulla increased their number to 600. Although the tribes selected the original men to fill the added ranks, Sulla increased the magistracies so there would be ex-magistrates in the future to warm the senate benches. Number of Senators When there was a surplus, censors trimmed the excess. Under Julius Caesar and the triumvirs, the number of senators increased, but Augustus brought the number back down to Sullan levels. By the third century A.D. the number may have reached 800-900. Age Requirement Augustus appears to have changed the age at which one could become senator, reducing it from perhaps 32 to 25. Roman Senate References Seating Space in the Roman Senate and the Senatores PedariiLily Ross Taylor and Russell T. ScottTransactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association Vol. 100, (1969), pp. 529-582A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, by Sir William SmithA Summary of the Roman Civil Law, by Patrick Mac Chombaich de Colquhoun

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Assigned a new project Ask your boss these questions ASAP

Assigned a new project Ask your boss these questions ASAP If you’re committed to doing your very best at work each day and taking every opportunity to show your bosses and colleagues that you’re dedicated and serious about your job, then when you get assigned to a new project you know that it’s a great opportunity to show your stuff. You likely get excited by the possibility of hitting the ground running and will stop at nothing to ensure that every facet of the project is completely successful. If this sounds familiar, then you know that it usually takes a strong start for a project to finish strong. This means that you need to have a good handle on the core, fundamental aspects of the assignment. You’ll want to kickstart your work leaving no stone unturned and no question unanswered- because any lingering doubt or confusion at the beginning can fester, grow, and spread, and make a successful completion increasingly less likely.Although the nature of work projects can vary greatly, based on a wide range of facto rs (including industry, size, and scope, to name just a few), there are some basic questions that you should ask and have answered before getting things going. We suggest asking the following questions whenever you’re assigned to a new project to help ensure a successful result.â€Å"What are the goals of the project?†Of course, knowing a project’s goals is key to being successful. After all, we can’t congratulate ourselves for building a helicopter (though impressive) if the goal was to build a boat, can we? We need to know the purpose of the project and what it is expected to achieve before we can begin determining what a positive result even looks like. Whenever you get started on a project, make sure that whoever is in charge clearly communicates to you the goals of the project- it’s the logical starting point for the next step, which is determining how to make those goals an achievable reality.â€Å"What are the key target dates?†Anothe r crucial piece of any project puzzle is knowing the project timeline- this includes the final date for completion as well as all project milestones and deliverables along the way, especially the ones you’re responsible for. Once you know what is expected of you and when you’re expected to deliver results, you can plan accordingly.â€Å"What is my role in the project?†Getting clarity up front regarding your specific role for the project is crucial. When it comes time to deliver, you want to be sure that there are no surprises in terms of what’s expected of you. This becomes especially important for large projects with multiple stakeholders and deliverable windows.â€Å"Who are the other stakeholders involved in the project?†A crucial component for success on many projects- especially large ones with multiple components- is to make sure that everyone involved knows all of the other key project stakeholders, and to establish a regular and efficient f low of communication. When you’re getting started on a new project, always make sure you know all the players involved and how best to keep in contact with them.There you have it, a few crucial questions that you should get answers to when you’re beginning any new work project. Of course, you’ll likely have additional questions that are specific to the project you’re currently working on, but getting answers to these fundamental ones will help ensure that your project gets off on the right foot, stays on track, and is ultimately successful.