The Roman Senate was the highest assembly and constitutional platform of ancient Rome and its aristocracy. It functioned as an advisory council of elders to Rome's magistrates, and survived kings, the Roman Republic, the imperial era, and even the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
The Senate wielded an enormous degree of power over the civil government in Rome. It controlled money, day-to-day administration, and foreign policy. Ultimately, it served as the governing and advisory council that proved to be the most permanent element in the Roman constitution.
So, how exactly did the Senate come into being, and what ultimately made it politically irrelevant? Click through this gallery for a fascinating look into the politics of Rome.