Romulan Proconsul

Proconsul Neral

Proconsul is the common title given to the official in the Romulan Senate directly below the Praetor.

Former Romulans to hold this position within the Romulan Star Empire during the latter half of the 24th century include Proconsuls Merrok, Neral and Hiren.

Many proconsuls have served as vice-proconsul in their time, and the job makes a traditional stepping stone to the highest office in the Senate.

As with other governmental terms in the Romulan Empire, the title of Proconsul is derived from the Roman title of Proconsul. In Rome, a Proconsul was a former Consul who had been assigned a province or a high-profile military command (as Pompey requested after his consulship) as a reward for their service to the Roman state. The term was diminished but retained under the Roman Empire.

In the Roman Republic, a proconsul was a promagistrate (like a propraetor) who, after serving as consul, spent a year as a governor of a province. Certain provinces were reserved for proconsuls; who received which one by senatorial appointment was determined by random choosing or negotiation between the two proconsuls.

Under the Empire, the Emperor derived a good part of his powers (alongside the military imperium and the tribunician power and presidency of the senate in Rome) from a constitutionally 'exceptional' (but permanent) mandate as the holder of proconsular authority over all, hence, so-called Imperial provinces, generally with one or more legions garrisoned (often each under a specific legate); however, he would appoint legates and other promagistrates to govern each such province in his name. The former Consuls (constitutionally still eponymic chief magistrates of the res publica, but politically powerless) would still receive a term as proconsul of one of the other, so-called Senatorial provinces.

The term has also been used as a disparagement towards individuals, especially ambassadors, who have attempted to influence the governments of foreign countries.