An extraordinary magistrate appointed for a specific emergency and traditionally limited in purpose and duration.
Overview
The republican dictatorship was created for crises that seemed to require unified command. A consul nominated the dictator, who then appointed a master of horse. Traditional dictators were expected to complete a defined task and resign within six months.
Why It Matters
Sulla and Caesar transformed the meaning of the office. Their dictatorships were broader, longer, and tied to constitutional refoundation or personal supremacy rather than a single temporary emergency.
In Roman Practice
The contrast between the early emergency magistracy and the late republican dictatorships illustrates how inherited institutions could be stretched beyond their original assumptions.