Lex Cornelia de Viginti Quaestoribus

Roman law

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June 30, 2026

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The Lex Cornelia de Viginti Quæstoribus was a Roman law enacted by Lucius Cornelius Sulla around 81 BCE. This law increased the number of quaestors, the lowest-ranking regular magistrates in ancient Rome, to twenty. The primary role of quaestors was the administration of the treasury.12

The Lex Cornelia also stipulated that all former quaestors would automatically enter the Senate. This reform aimed to strengthen the Senate's composition and influence by ensuring a steady influx of experienced officials. The quaestorship was considered the first step in a political career, and this law solidified its importance in the Roman Republic's governance.12

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epigraphy
Ancient Rome
…century bce; parts of the Lex Cornelia de Viginti Quaestoribus (81 bce) are preserved on a large bronze tablet found at Rome; Julius Caesar’s Lex Julia Municipalis of 45 bce was found near Heraclea in Lucania. On the whole, however, the transmission of Roman law, from the earliest fragments to…
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…century bce; parts of the Lex Cornelia de Viginti Quaestoribus (81 bce) are preserved on a large bronze tablet found at Rome; Julius Caesar’s Lex Julia Municipalis of 45 bce was found near Heraclea in Lucania. On the whole, however, the transmission of Roman law, from the earliest fragments to…
Read More