What powers did a Roman Tribune of the Plebs possess?

• A. The tribune could veto legislation and decrees, and their person was sacrosanct, protecting plebeians from intimidation.
• B. They commanded the army.
• C. They presided over the Senate.
• D. They interpreted laws in court.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the tribune of the plebs acted as a protective check on patrician power, with two defining powers: the veto and sacrosanct status. The veto, or intercessio, let a tribune block laws and actions proposed by other magistrates or the Senate that threatened plebeians. This gave plebeians a powerful lever to halt measures they faced as a group. Equally important, their person was sacrosanct—off limits to violence and coercion while in office—so no one could threaten or arrest a tribune without facing serious penalties, which in practice safeguarded plebeians by ensuring someone could stand up to abusive acts against them.

They could also convene and influence the Plebeian Council and propose legislation, further shaping policy from the plebeian side, but their central, defining powers are the veto and their inviolable status. They did not command the army, preside over the Senate, or interpret laws in court—that’s why those other roles don’t fit as the main powers of a tribune.