Ab urbe condita

To make himself more dreaded, he conducted the trials in capital cases without any assessors, and under this pretence he was able to put to death, banish, or fine not only those whom he suspected or disliked, but also those from whom his only object was to extort money.

His main object was so to reduce the number of senators, by refusing to fill up any vacancies, that the dignity of the order itself might be lowered through the smallness of its numbers, and less indignation felt at all public business being taken out of its hands.

He was the first of the kings to break through the traditional custom of consulting the senate on all questions, the first to conduct the government on the advice of his palace favourites. War, peace, treaties, alliances were made or broken off by him, just as he thought good, without any authority from either people or senate.