Roman Empire Senate Reconstruction

As the important authority of Rome , the senate played an indispensable role in Roman history. For a long time , more scholars have been focusing on its function in the republican period of Rome than paying attention to its function in the early empire period . In order to explore the senate in the early Roman empire , this thesis will make use of detailed historical materials to study the structure and function of senate . Based on these sources , we can get much deep understanding on the senate as well as the Principate in the 1st century .This thesis is composed of four chapters . In the first chapter , by studying the changes of area , economy , politics , and culture in this era , the author expresses the development of Rome from the republic to the empire , and explores the social tradition and religionary lives which is the two main reasons of senate's reconstruction . The second chapter investigates the senators' reconstruction which includes the study on the electoral condition , quantity , origin , and expenditure of senate members . The third chapter chiefly focuses on the whole political function of senate under the Principate . It also pays much attention to the relationship between emperors and senate . The fourth chapter mainly treats the function of senate in the early empire of Rome , and explores its influence on the political history of Europe. While the senate was being reconstructed , it is useful to the Principate because of its effect on authorization , succession , bureaucracy and so on . Although the reconstruction was limitary , it has a deep influence on the political development in the history later . In the part of conclusion , the author gives an evaluation on the senate's reconstruction in the early empire , and concisely point out the significance of the reconstruction.