Triumvirate and Principate between judgement and political decision, will be the accusations against
HyrcanusandHerod^66 whichprecededthestepswhichproduceddocuments
–.WehavetwospecificinstancesofcasesbeforeAntonius:Lachares,the
fatherof Eurycles,was beheaded by him for robbery (Plut.,Ant. ); and
Boethusof Tarsoswasaccusedbeforehimofpeculation,butevidentlyac-
quitted(Strabo).Thatjurisdictionwaspartofhisnormalroutineseems
clear from Appian’s description (BCV, /) of his emergence from his
Athenianholidayoverthewinterof/..:standards,guards,andofficers
wereseenathisdoor,embassieswerereceived,andcasesdecided.
AsregardsOctavian,bycontrast,whowasofcoursebasedinRome,we
havenoconcreteinstancesofroutinejurisdiction,andnogeneralreferencee
totheissueuntilwereachthenotoriouslypuzzlingreferenceinDio(,,
–)toavotein..whichallowedhim,amongotherthings:‘‘toadmin-
isterjusticeonappeal.’’Itisnotnecessarytodiscussthepeculiaritiesofthis
report,orwhethertherightwasactuallyacceptedbyOctavianatthistime,
and,ifso,howitrelatestothelaterexerciseofjurisdictionbythePrinceps.It
isimportanttostressinsteadwhathassometimesbeendenied^67 —thatarou-
tinejurisdictionwassubsequentlyexercisedbyAugustushimself,notjustin
theprovinces,^68 oronappeal,^69 butinRomeandItalyandasthecourtoffirst
instance, and in both civil and criminal cases.^70 The routine nature of the
workisclearfromSuetonius:‘‘hehimselfgavejurisdictionassiduouslyand
onoccasionintothenight,andifhewerephysicallytooweakwoulddoso
withhislitterplacedonthetribunal,orevenlyingdownathome’’();‘‘of
his country retreats he particularly frequented Tibur,where heveryoften
gavejurisdiction,evenintheporticoesofthetempleofHercules’’().
InthisimportantrespectthereforetheTriumvirate,sofarasourevidence
goes,mayperhapsmarkifanythingaslightstepbackinthedevelopmentof
amonarchicinstitutionwhichwasalreadyknownbefore,inthedictator-
shipofCaesar,andwhichwastocomeintofulleffectintheprincipateof
Augustus.
. Jos.,Ant.,,(–).
. E.g.,byJ.Bleicken,Senatsgericht und Kaisergericht(),–.
. Onemaylistbywayof illustrationLivy,Epit.(Ipresumethat‘‘heheldassizes
in Narbo’’ must refer to Augustus’ jurisdiction in ); Seneca,Controv.praef.;from
‘‘senatorial’’provinces,Jos.,BJ,,();Suet.,Div. Aug..
. Suet.,Div.Aug..
. Criminal:Val.Max.,,;Ovid.Tristia,ff.;Dio,,;,,;,,–
;.;Seneca,QN,,;Suet.,Div.Aug.;;,;Dig.,,;Strabo.Civil:
Val.Max.,,and;,,ext.;Suet.,Div.Aug.;Dig.,,.