He used his military influence and personal wealth to stack the Senate in his favor, while retaining the powers of a tribune and the right to celebrate military triumphs.
The Assembly nominated consuls, prefects, and senators, as well as the tribune, but these elections were controlled by the wealthy classes, who usually selected members of their own families for these positions.
The law which enacted it was, like all other laws relating to the coin, introduced and carried through the assembly of the people by a tribune, and was probably a very popular law.
And there he found them holding their great caucus, which they hold every year in the North; and all their stump-orators were speechifying; and for a tribune, the speaker stood on an old sheep's skull.
In addition to senators, there were prefects, officials who took care of such routine matters as running the market and the fire brigade, and a tribune, whose job was to speak for the poor people.