Annals I.15

It was then for the first time that the elections were transferred from the Campus Martius to the Senate. For up to that day, though the most important rested with the emperor's choice, some were settled by the partialities of the tribes. Nor did the people complain of having the right taken from them, except in mere idle talk, and the Senate, being now released from the necessity of bribery and of degrading solicitations, gladly upheld the change, Tiberius confining himself to the recommendation of only four candidates who were to be nominated without rejection or canvass. Meanwhile the tribunes of the people asked leave to exhibit at their own expense games to be named after Augustus and added to the Calendar as the Augustales. Money was, however, voted from the exchequer, and though the use of the triumphal robe in the circus was prescribed, it was not allowed them to ride in a chariot. Soon the annual celebration was transferred to the praetor, to whose lot fell the administration of justice between citizens and foreigners.


Some election powers went from the Emperor and partialities of the tribes (the tribunes of the people or plebian representatives) to the Senate.

In this seemingly boring passage, Tacitus has actually made a very strong statement. The Campus Martius is the “field of Mars,” which was an area of northwest of Rome. In Tiberius’ time, it was filled with public temples and public baths. So, Campus Martius refers to the “public” defined as both the tribunes of the people and Tiberius (being their Princep or “first citizen”).

But, it’s a little darker than that. The historian Livy uses the same phrase “from the Campus Martius to the Senate” in his History of Rome (32.7). Back then, the Campus Martius was also public, but was mainly a bunch of fields. The military would use it for training, thus the “fields of Mars.” Livy also talks about elections under the Republic. He tells of how the general Scipio Africanus gets his election vetoed by the tribunes of the people. The decision is differed to the Senate to overturn it. “Campus Martius” in this case is used to refer to the public and the military.

Why refer back to a time when the Senate had power? To show what they had become. Tacitus says they are now reduced to solicitations to the tribunes and the Emperor. Additionally, Tacitus highlights Tiberius as a military force. The “field of Mars” is the public and Emperor with show of brute force while the Senate is a bunch of intellectuals.

But, Tacitus also mentions that they just gave up their power to the Senate, surprisingly. Tiberius went from determining all elections to only four and the tribunes of the people because completely powerless.