Why does the senate need to approve high officials appointed by the president?

The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the old Roman Republic, however, it was not an organ whose members were elected by popular vote, but one whose members were elected by the consuls, and then by the censors.

After a magistrate had fulfilled his mandate, he was usually automatically appointed member of the Senate.

According to the Greek historian Polybius (our main source in the Constitution of the Roman Republic) the Roman Senate was the predominant branch of government.

Polybius pointed out that it was the consuls (the highest rank of the Roman magistrates) who led the armies and civil government of Rome, and it was the Roman assemblies that had the ultimate authority in elections, legislation and criminal proceedings.

However, since the Senate controlled the money, the administration, and the details of foreign policy, it had control over day - to - day life.

The power and authority of the Senate was based on the precedent, the high quality and prestige of the senators, and the uninterrupted lineage of the Senate, which dated back to the founding of the Republic in 509 BC.