As no one showed a willingness to become ædile, some from the ranks of ex-quæstors and ex-tribunes were compelled by lot to take the office.
As the quæstors needed to serve in the provinces were proving insufficient, all drew lots for the places who for ten years previous had been named quæstors without the duties of the office.
He had quæstors hold office in the coast districts near the City and in certain other parts of Italy; and this he did for several years.
The office of the provincial quæstors was to attend the consuls or prætors into their provinces; to furnish the provisions and pay for the army; to exact the taxes and tribute of the empire, and sell the spoils taken in war.
The prætors, too, continued to be the supreme judges, and the quæstors regulated the treasury.
The quæstors virtually had charge of the public money, and were the paymasters of the army.
In the next place, it was the general practice to bring in writings without observing the proper forms, and previous quæstors used to receive false decrees to please persons, and at their request.
In like manner when the King of the Iberians sent him a couch and a table and a seat all of gold, and begged him to accept them, he delivered them also to the quæstors for the treasury.
The Provincial Governors, with their Quæstors and lieutenants, were chosen from the high aristocracy, which also supplied the judges.
There were at that time twenty Quæstors elected annually, some of whom remained in Rome; but most of the number were stationed about the Empire, there being always one as assistant to each Proconsul.
But to Cicero, and to young Quæstors in general, the great attraction of the office consisted in the fact that the aspirant having once become a Quæstor was a Senator for the rest of his life, unless he should be degraded by misconduct.
Footnote 244: Schutz takes this to mean, "Are the quæstors now doubting as to paying even cistophori?
Tyrrell, besides, points out that the quæstors could hardly refuse to pay anything for provincial expenses.
But to return to business: I have written to the city quæstors about my brother's affair.
As before, the consuls obstructed the law, the tribunes the trial of Volscius: but in the new quæstors there was greater power and greater influence.
The tribunes were the cause of delay, who said that they would not suffer the quæstors to hold the assembly concerning the accused, unless it were first held concerning the law.
Quæstors also, as military tribunes, began to be elected from the commons a few years before; nor had the Roman people been dissatisfied with any one of them.
This the consul ordered the quæstors to sell by auction and carry it into the treasury, declaring that the army should then participate in the booty, when they had not declined the service.
He ordered, therefore, that the quæstors should sell this property and deposit the proceeds in the treasury.
The tribunes occasioned a delay, who said that they would not suffer the quæstors to hold the assembly[130] concerning the accused, unless it was first held concerning the law.
Besides the quæstors who by virtue of their office were to prosecute Volscius, many persons on their own account, and on their private responsibility, cited him into court, and challenged him to discuss the case before a judge.
The consuls obstructed the law, the tribunes the trial of Volscius in the same manner: but in the new quæstors there was greater power, and greater influence.
Besides two Quæstors who always remained at Rome, every Consul or Prætor who conducted a war or governed a province was attended by one of these magistrates.
The name of Consul was still preserved, these officers being yearly appointed by the emperor; but we now notice the titles of Count and Duke joined with those of Quæstors and Proconsuls.
With respect to the magistrates, Sulla increased the number of Quæstors from eight to twenty, and of Prætors from six to eight.
The Quæstors were the paymasters of the state; and as the Censors had to fill up vacancies in the Senate from those who had held the office of Quæstor, the Plebeians thus became eligible for the Senate.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "stors" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
