Besides its control of the elections, of legislation, and the administration of domestic affairs, the senate superintended the Latins and other allies and the Roman subjects, supervised the provincial governors, and managed foreign affairs. In view of the extent of Roman dominion during this period, it now had in practice far greater powers, and responsibilities, and opportunities than ever before in the history of Rome; but it was also exposed to greater temptations and worse influences than before.
Degeneracy of the Senate. — The senate soon fell below the high standard of patriotism and morality maintained during the Hannibalic war, and degenerated with fearful rapidity. There were different causes. To the senate the national religion had become largely a matter of form and an instrument of politics. In the very nature of senatorial, or corporate government there was a want of individual responsibility, dangerous at all times; but it was fraught with the utmost danger when the dominion and the treasures of the Mediterranean world were in the hands of a degenerating oligarchy. As governors in the provinces, moreover, the individual nobles were practically kings, and it is difficult to be at the same time a republican and a king. Service in the provinces contributed very largely to make the small governing class haughty, arrogant, and corrupt. Venality in one form or another became so common that the refusal of a bribe was something unusual, and surprise was excited when Scipio Aemilianus threw gifts from the king of Syria into the military chest. Dishonesty had indeed appeared in the foreign policy of Rome before this time under the guise of patriotism, but now it became almost a principle of Roman diplomacy, and served selfish ends. Selfishness — the old sin of the nobility — superseded patriotism. The public welfare was sacrificed to class interests, but these were in turn disregarded for the sake of a clique, or of a
