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The princeps senatus (plural ''principes senatus'') was the first member by precedence of the Roman Senate . Although officially out of the '' Cursus Honorum '' and owning no '' Imperium '', this office brought enormous prestige to the senator holding it. The ''princeps senatus'' was not a lifetime job. He was chosen by every new pair of Censors (that is, every five years). Censors could, however, confirm a ''princeps senatus'' for a period of another five years. He was selected from Patrician senators with Consul ar rank, usually former censors. The successful candidate had to be a patrician with an impeccable political record, respected by his fellow senators. Orignially, the position of the ''princeps'' was one of honor: he had the privilege of speaking first on the topic presented by the presiding Magistrate . This gave the position great ''dignitas'' as it allowed the ''princeps'' to set the tone of the debate in the Senate. In the late Republic and in the Principate , the office gained the prerogatives of the presiding magistrates and additional powers, namely:
After the fall of the ). However, during the Crisis Of The Third Century , some others held the office; the future emperor Valerian held the office in 238 , during the reigns of Maximinus Thrax and Gordian I . Incomplete list of ''principes senatus''
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