ABSTRACT
The key to Augustus’ success had been his ability to work with, and find meaningful roles for, the senate as a body and for the nobles as individuals. Although, formally, much law-making remained the business of the assemblies of the populus and the plebs, the senate’s role as the body by which laws were formulated and discussed became regular; both the princeps himself and the consuls were responsible for passing a great deal of legislation through the senate, with popular participation becoming increasingly a formality. The passage of a senatus consultum was virtually the making of law. Under Augustus, the senate had already acquired completely new judicial functions, which it had taken over from the people.
