When was the Roman censor office created and by whom?
The Roman Senate created the office of censor in 443 BC to handle the census. Before this year, consuls managed population counts and property records.
Questions about Roman censor
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who became the first plebeian to hold the position of Roman censor?
Gaius Marcius Rutilus became the first plebeian to hold the position of Roman censor in 351 BC. Twelve years later a law required that at least one censor must be a plebeian.
How long did the term for a Roman censor last originally and what changed it?
Originally the censorship lasted five years matching the period between censuses. A dictator named Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus limited the term to eighteen months in 433 BC.
What were the consequences for citizens who voluntarily absent themselves from the Roman census?
Servius Tullius reportedly threatened imprisonment or death for non-compliance with the census requirement. During the Republic absent citizens could be sold into slavery by the state.
Which Roman road and aqueduct system did Appius Claudius Caecus construct during his censorship?
Appius Claudius Caecus constructed the first Roman road called Via Appia during his censorship. He simultaneously built the Aqua Appia aqueduct system named after him.
When was the office of Roman censor abolished and by whom?
The censorship existed continuously from 443 BC until 22 BC when Augustus abolished it. Augustus appointed Lucius Munatius Plancus and Aemilius Lepidus Paullus as last censors in 23 BC.