1Hermogenianus, Epitomes, Book I. Some municipal employments are derived from estates, and others from persons. 1Employments derived from estates refer to transportation of goods by sea or land, and engage the attention of the first in rank among the decurions, for he is responsible for any collections made by him in the performance of his official duties. 2Personal employments are such as relate to the defence of a city, that is to say, such as may be made by the civil magistrate, for example, the collection of taxes, or as has been stated with reference to patrimonial employments, supervision of beasts of burden with a view to the supply of provisions and other things of this kind; as well as care of the public lands, aqueducts, horses, and chariot-races; repairs of highways and warehouses; the heating of baths, the distribution of food, and all duties of this description. For from what we have stated, any other matters which, by long-continued custom, have been established in the different cities, can be readily understood. 3A personal employment is generally understood to be one which is accompanied with manual labor, care, and diligence. A patrimonial employment, however, is one in which expense is especially requisite. 4Among personal employments are included the guardianship and curatorship of a minor or an insane person, as well as that of a spendthrift, one who is dumb, and an unborn child, to whom it is also necessary to furnish food, drink, lodging, and other things of this kind. With reference, however, to the property of the minor or the insane person, care must be taken by the person charged with the duty that it shall not be acquired by usucaption, or any debtors be released from liability. Likewise, where possession of property is demanded under the terms of the Carbonian Edict, if security is not furnished, the curator who has been appointed discharges a personal employment in taking care of the property. The same rule applies to curators who have been appointed to take charge of the property of persons who have been captured by the enemy, and expect to return. Again, curators are appointed for an estate left to one who cannot yet succeed to it by either Civil or Prætorian Law.

2Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXI. If a son who is under the control of his father should himself have a son, he will be considered to be under his control, so far as municipal honors are concerned.

3The Same, Opinions, Book II. Persons who were born in the City of Rome, and who have established their domicile elsewhere, must accept public employment at Rome. 1No municipal employment can be imposed upon soldiers who are serving in camp. Other private persons, however, even though they are the relatives of soldiers, must obey the laws of their country and their province. 2When anyone is sentenced to the mines, and afterwards obtains complete restitution, he may be called to public employments and honors just as if he had never been convicted; and his misfortune and sad experience cannot be advanced to show that he is not a good citizen of his country. 3Their sex denies to women corporeal employments, and prevents them from obtaining municipal honors or offices. 4A father has no right to prevent a son, who is under his control, from obtaining municipal honors, if he has no good excuse for doing so. 5A father is not required to undertake the defence of his son, if he does not consent for him to obtain municipal honors, or employments, for fear his estate may be subjected to a burden; but he can not prevent him from being liable to his country to the extent of his means. 6Although anyone who is over seventy years of age, or has five children living, is, for either of these reasons, excused from holding civil employments; still, his sons ought to accept offices for which they are qualified, for the immunity granted to fathers on account of their children they themselves do not enjoy. 7A stepfather can, by no rule of law, be compelled to undertake the burdens of civil employment, in the name of his stepson. 8Freedmen should discharge the duties of public employment at the birthplace of their patron, if their pecuniary resources are sufficient to enable them to do so; as the property of their patrons is not liable on account of offices administered by their freedmen. 9When a father has been guilty of some crime, this should be no impediment to the acquisition of municipal honors by his sons. 10It has long since been settled that minors under twenty-five years of age can become decurions; not, however, when they are in military service, because this burden is considered as rather attaching to a patrimonial employment. 11The collection of taxes is considered to be a patrimonial employment. 12The duty of collecting provisions is a personal employment, and the age of seventy years, or the number of five living children, exempts a person from it. 13Persons who are obliged to furnish lodgings to soldiers coming to a city should discharge this duty by turns. 14The duty of furnishing lodgings to soldiers is not a personal, but a patrimonial one. 15The Governor of a province should see that employments and honors are equally distributed among the citizens in turn, according to their age and rank; so that the order of the various degrees of said employments and honors, which have been established of old, shall be followed, to prevent the same person from being indiscriminately and frequently oppressed by their imposition, and the State from being deprived at the same time of men and of power. 16Where there are two sons under the control of their father, he cannot be compelled to be responsible for the employment of both of them at the same time. 17If a man, who left two sons, did not, by his last will, provide out of their common patrimony, for the discharge of the duties of public office by one of them, the latter should not, at his own expense, assume responsibility for any duties or honors which may be enjoined upon him, although the father, while living, might have assumed liability of this kind for one of his sons.

4The Same, Opinions, Book III. The care of the construction or repair of public buildings in a city is a public employment from which a father who has five living children is exempt; but if he should be compelled by force to discharge such an employment, this will not deprive him of any excuse which he may have for not accepting others. 1The excuse of a want of means for not accepting municipal employments or duties which persons are required to undertake is not perpetual but temporary; for, where anyone’s patrimony has been increased by honorable means this will be taken into consideration, when inquiry as to his solvency at the time when he was appointed to the office is made. 2Persons who are poor cannot, through destitution, be compelled to accept patrimonial employments, but they are forced to discharge the duties of corporeal ones to which they have been appointed. 3Anyone who is obliged to discharge a public employment in his city, and represents himself as a soldier for the purpose of avoiding a municipal burden, cannot render the condition of the municipality any worse.

5Scævola, Rules, Book I. Masters of vessels and oil merchants, who have invested the greater part of their patrimony in occupations of this kind, are entitled to exemption from public office for the term of five years.

6Ulpianus, On the Duties of Proconsul, Book IV. The following was stated in a Rescript of the Divine Brothers addressed to Rutilius Luppus: “The Constitution by which it is provided that anyone who has been created a decurion can obtain the office of magistrate should be observed, whenever the parties concerned are solvent and properly qualified. Where, however, they are of such inferior rank and slender resources that they are not only unsuited to the enjoyment of public honors, but are also scarcely able to support themselves, it is both useless and dishonorable for such persons to be charged with the office of magistrate, especially when there are others who can be appointed, and who, by their fortunes and their rank, are suited to the position. Therefore, let all who are wealthy know that they should not avail themselves of this provision of the law, and that when anyone is to be chosen in an assembly, inquiry should be made among those who are present for persons who, by reason of their means, are capable of assuming the dignity of the office.” 1It is certain that public debtors cannot be raised to municipal honors, unless they first pay what they owe to the city. We should understand such debtors to be those in whose hands a balance remains from the administration of public business. When, however, they are not debtors of this description, but have borrowed money from the city they are not in a position to be excluded from municipal honors. It is evident that it will be sufficient if, instead of payment, they make provision for it by means of pledges or solvent sureties. This was stated by the Divine Brothers in a Rescript addressed to Aufidius Herennianus. Where they are indebted merely under a promise which cannot be refused, they are in such a position that they must be excluded from municipal honors. 2Where anyone, though guilty of an offence, has not been accused, he should not be excluded from public office any more than if he had an accuser who withdrew from the prosecution; for Our Emperor with his Divine Father stated this in a Rescript. 3It must be noted that certain employments are either personal or patrimonial, just as certain honors are. 4Employments which have reference to patrimonies, or the payment of taxes, are of such a nature that neither age nor the number of children, nor any other privilege which usually exempts persons from personal employments, will be a valid excuse for declining them. 5These employments which have reference to patrimonies are of a double nature, for some of them are enjoined upon possessors, whether they are citizens or not; and others are enjoined upon the residents or citizens of a town. Taxes imposed upon lands or buildings have reference to the possessors of the same, but patrimonial employments only concern municipalities or their inhabitants.

7Marcianus, Public Prosecutions, Book II. A person who has been accused of crime is forbidden by the Imperial Constitutions to aspire to municipal honors before his case has been decided. It makes no difference whether he is a plebeian or a decurion. He cannot, however, be prevented from accepting such an office after a year has elapsed from the time when he was accused, unless he is to blame for the case not having been heard during the year. 1The Divine Severus stated in a Rescript that when a man is elected a magistrate, and his opponent appeals, and while the appeal is pending he takes possession of the office, he should be punished. Therefore, if anyone who is prevented by a decision from obtaining municipal honors takes an appeal, he should, in the meantime, refrain from demanding the office.

8Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XI. Minors should not be admitted to the administration of public affairs, either in such employments as are not patrimonial, or in such as are magisterial, before reaching their twenty-fifth year; nor should they be made decurions, for, if they are, they cannot cast their votes in the assembly. After the beginning of their twenty-fifth year, however, it is held as having elapsed, for it has been decided as a matter of favor in cases of this kind, that we must consider what has been begun as completed; but the administration of no public office shall be entrusted to them, lest some damage may be committed against the government, or some injury caused to the minor himself.

9The Same, On the Duties of Consul, Book III. When anyone who has been created a municipal magistrate refuses to perform the duties of his office, he can be compelled to do so by the Governor in the same manner as guardians can be forced to discharge the duties of the trust imposed upon them.

10Modestinus, Differences, Book V. An additional employment cannot be imposed upon a magistrate; but the office of magistrate can be conferred upon one who already has another public employment.

11The Same, Pandects, Book XI. Under the Prætorian Edict, offices should be conferred by degrees, and, as is stated by a letter of the Divine Pius to Titianus, this should be done from the less important to the more important ones. 1Although it is provided by the municipal law, that men of a certain condition should be preferred in making appointments to the magistracy, still it must be remembered that this rule ought only to be observed when the candidates are solvent. This is set forth in a Rescript of the Divine Marcus. 2The Divine Brothers stated in a Rescript that whenever there is a scarcity of citizens eligible to the magistracy, immunity can be, to some extent, infringed. 3The Divine Antoninus and his Father stated in a Rescript that although a physician may already have been approved, he can be rejected by the municipality. 4The Divine Antoninus stated in a Rescript that those who instructed children in the rudiments of learning were not exempt from the duties of public office.

12Javolenus, On Cassius, Book VI. Anyone who has been granted exemption from the performance of municipal duties is not excused from becoming a magistrate, because the functions of the latter are more honorable than those attaching to other public employments; but all other extraordinary duties required from anyone temporarily, as, for instance, the repair of highways, should not be demanded of a person of this kind.

13The Same, On Cassius, Book XV. Exemption and immunity from public employments conceded to the children and descendants of anyone only have reference to persons belonging to his family.

14Callistratus, Judicial Inquiries, Book I. Municipal honor is the administration of public affairs, with the title of the office, whether the payment of expenses is required or not. 1An employment is either public or private. A public employment is one in which we undertake to administer public affairs, with the payment of expenses, and without the title of dignity. 2The collection of expenses for repairing the highways and of taxes on land are not personal, but local employments. 3When a question arises with reference to municipal honors and the administration of public employments, the person upon whom the honor or the employment is conferred must be taken into consideration, together with the origin of his birth, and whether his means are sufficient to enable him to administer the employment entrusted to him; and also the law, in accordance with which every one should discharge his official duties. 4A plebeian son under paternal control holds his office at the risk of the person who nominated him. Our Emperor, Severus, stated the following on this point in a Rescript: “If your son is a plebeian, you should not be compelled, against your will, to be responsible for his administration of the magistracy, because you cannot exercise your right of paternal authority to resist his appointment, but his administration will be at the risk of him who nominated him.” 5The power of administering a public office is not a promiscuous one, but a certain order should be observed; for no one can discharge the higher functions of the magistracy before having discharged those of a lower degree, nor can anyone continue to perform the duties of a public office at any age. 6It is provided by many Imperial Constitutions that, where there are no others to hold the office, those who had it previously can be compelled to continue to administer it. The Divine Hadrian stated in a Rescript with reference to continuance in office: “If there are no others who are competent to perform the duties of the office, I consent that they shall be chosen from those who already have performed them.”

15Papinianus, Opinions, Book V. If a father consents for his son to become a decurion, and after his death his son obtains the office, his co-heirs cannot be held responsible for his maladministration, if the father left his son, the decurion, sufficient means to discharge his liabilities.

16Paulus, Sentences, Book I. Those who offer a sum of money in order to obtain exemption from the administration of a municipal office or employment should not be heard. 1Anyone who promises a sum of money for a municipal honor, and has begun to pay it shall be compelled to pay the entire amount, just as in the case of an unfinished public work. 2A son cannot, against his will, be compelled to become responsible for any public employment administered by his father. 3No one can be forced to undertake the defence of a municipality more than once, unless necessity requires this to be done.

17Hermogenianus, Epitomes, Book I. No one is prohibited from voluntarily repeating the performance of the sacerdotal ceremonies of a province. 1When a father who is exempt from the civil employments and duties of the magistracy consents to have his son, who is under his control, created decurion, he will be compelled to assume responsibility for the proper discharge of all the functions and obligations undertaken by his son.

18Arcadius Charisius, On Civil Employments. There are three kinds of civil employments, for some are called personal, others are styled patrimonial, and others are mixed. 1Personal employments are those which are carried on by the application of the mind, and the exertion of corporeal labor, without resulting in any detriment to the person who administers them; as, for instance, guardianship or curatorship. 2The keeping of accounts and the collection of money in any town is not considered an honorable employment but a personal one. 3The conducting of recruits, or horses, or any other animals necessary for the transportation or pursuit of public property, or of money belonging to the Treasury, or of provisions or clothing, is a personal employment. 4The supervision of posts and couriers is a personal employment. 5The care of purchasing grain and oil (as it is customary to appoint persons for duties of this kind, who are called purveyors of grain and oil), is, in some towns, included among personal employments, as well as the duty of heating the public baths, when the money provided by the official in charge is obtained from the revenues of any municipality. 6The preservation of aqueducts is included in personal employments. 7Irenarchs are officials who are appointed to maintain public discipline and the preservation of morals. Those who are selected for the construction of highways, when they can contribute nothing out of their own property for this purpose, along with those who are appointed to supervise the sale of bread and other provisions necessary to the daily sustenance of the people of towns, administer personal employments. 8Persons who have charge of either the collection or distribution of public provisions, and collectors of individual taxes administer personal employments. 9Officials who are usually chosen for the collection of the public revenues of towns exercise a personal employment. 10Those also who are the guardians of temples, or who have charge of the archives; writers of orations and book-keepers; those who furnish entertainment to strangers, as in certain cities; those who have superintendence of harbors; officials charged with the construction or repair of public buildings, whether palaces, or naval arsenals, or such as are destined for military quarters, who expend the public money in the erection of buildings, or for the construction or repair of ships, when this is necessary, administer personal employments. 11The driving of camels is also a personal employment, for a certain amount should be given to the camel-drivers for the support of themselves and their camels, and an account kept of the same, so that they will only be compelled to furnish manual labor. These should be called according to the order in which they are registered, and should not be released by any excuse, unless it is expressly shown that they are suffering from some corporeal injury, or weakness. 12Messengers who are despatched to the Emperor sometimes receive their necessary travelling expenses, but the officers of the night-watch and the superintendents of mills administer personal employments. 13The defenders also, whom the Greeks call syndics, and who are selected for the prosecution or defence of some case, exercise personal employment. 14The duty of rendering decisions is also classed among personal employments. 15When anyone is chosen to compel persons to construct pavements in front of the public highways, this employment is personal. 16In like manner, those who are appointed for the collection of taxes perform the functions relating to a personal employment. 17The officials who accompany the contestants in games, and the clerks of magistrates, also discharge the functions of personal employments. 18Patrimonial employments are those which are administered at the expense of the estate, and to the loss of the person who exercises them. 19Among the people of Alexandria, officials who purchase oil and vegetables are considered to exercise a patrimonial employment. 20Those who collect wine throughout the province of Africa administer a patrimonial employment. 21Again, patrimonial employments are of a twofold, nature, for some of them have reference to either possession or to patrimonies, for instance, those who furnish horses, or mules for the transporation of military supplies, or for the post. 22Therefore, persons who are neither citizens nor inhabitants of municipal towns are required to perform services of this description. 23It has been stated in a Rescript that those who lend money at interest, even if they are veterans, must pay taxes for the privilege of doing so. 24Neither veterans, nor soldiers, nor any other persons, no matter what privileges they may enjoy, and not even the pontiff himself, is exempt from employments of this kind. 25Moreover, some towns have the privilege of permitting those who own land within their territory to furnish each year a certain amount of corn, in proportion to the real property which they possess; which contribution is an employment attaching to possession. 26Mixed employments are those in which personal and patrimonial ones are combined, as Herennius Modestinus, with the best of reasons, stated in his notes and arguments; for collectors of taxes and grain, who also perform manual labor, exercise personal employments, and make good Treasury losses from the property of deceased persons; so that there is good reason for considering this employment as being mixed in its character. 27We have, however, stated above that those who exercise personal employments, according to the laws or customs of their city, are also obliged to pay the expenses out of their own property; or if those who collect provisions should sustain any loss on account of land which remains uncultivated, these employments will also be included under the denomination of mixed. 28All these employments, which we have divided into three classes, are included under a single signification; for personal, patrimonial, and mixed employments are designated as civil or public. 29Where, however, exemption from merely personal or civil employments is granted to anyone, they cannot be excused from those relating to provisions, posts, couriers, the furnishing of lodgings, the construction of ships, or the collection of personal taxes, with the exception of soldiers and veterans. 30The Divine Vespasian and the Divine Hadrian stated in a Rescript that exemption from furnishing lodgings was granted by the Emperor to teachers who were not liable to civil employment, as well as to grammarians, instructors in rhetoric, and philosophers.