The Roman Republic
seemtoimplythatCatomadepublicstatementsinsupportofhisowncandi-
datureandthatofValeriusFlaccus,andPlutarchexplicitlystatesthathemade
speechesfromtheRostra(Cato,–).Thenormalpattern,however,was
different:thecandidateinhiswhitetogaappearedintheForum(cf.Poly-
bius,,–,)andsolicitedvotes,andhissupportersdidlikewiseonhis
behalf.Itwasonlybecausehewasactuallyconsul,andabouttoconductthe
election himself, that it was thought improper that Claudius Pulchercan-
vassedforhisbrotherintheelectionsinspring.Hiscanvassingconsisted
ofrushingabouttheForum,accompaniedbyhisbrother,totheshoutsof
hisopponentsandthemajorityoftheSenate(Livy,,–).Asimilar
scene is presented by Livy’s description of the consularelections of spring
(,).ThepatricianplacewascontestedbyCn.ManliusVulso,eventu-
allyconsulin;P.CorneliusScipio,successfulinthefollowingyear,,
supportedbyhiscousin,ScipioAfricanus;andL.QuinctiusFlamininus,sup-
portedbyhisbrother,whoexploitedhismorerecentmilitaryglory,andhis
brother’sroleinit,towintheplace.
Allsixcompetitorsfortheconsulshipofwereinfactsuccessfulwithin
afewyears.Oneortwounsuccessfulcampaignscouldindeedbeexpected;
butLivyisprobablyrighttoimplyelsewherethattoberejectedthreetimes
couldbeasourceofreproach(,,–;,,).Ifso,itismorethan
likelythattherewasadegreeofself-selectionandthatmenwouldbewary
ofthepublicshameofrejection.Evenattheleveloftheconsulshipwecan
hardlypursuethispointfurther,forLivydoesnotrecordforeveryyeareven
whotheunsuccessfulcandidateswere.^45 Itispossibletolistholdersofthe
praetorship between and who never held the consulship;^46 but we
cannottellhowmanyofthemeverstoodforit.Especiallyformenofrela-
tivelyundistinguishedancestry,alowerofficemayoftenwellhaveseemed
toconfergloryenough.
Finally,asregardsthecensorship,alltheknowncandidatesinthisperiod
were ex-consuls. Contested elections were common, again on the basis of
onepatricianandoneplebeianplace,butarenotattestedforeveryoccasion.^47
Itismorethanlikelythatnotallex-consulssoughtthisoffice.
Itisbetterinanycasetoleaveasidethespecialconditionsofthequin-
quennial election of two censors, and to look at the entire process of the
. Forcontestedconsularelections,see,e.g.,Livy,,–(for);,,–();
,,–();,,(,nonamesgiven).
. Hopkins(n.),.
. Contestedelectionsforthecensorship:,,(,nonamesgiven);,,–,
();,,–,();,,().