Which office had the power to veto magistrates and propose legislation to protect plebeians?

• A. Quaestor
• B. Tribune of the Plebs
• C. Senator
• D. Censor

Answer: (B)

Tribune of the Plebs. This office was created to defend the common people against the power of patrician magistrates. Tribunes carried sacrosanct status, meaning they could not be harmed while in office, and they could intercede to veto (block) the actions of any magistrate, including consuls and praetors. In addition, they could propose legislation to protect plebeians and convene the Plebeian Council to carry those measures forward. Over time, their legislative proposals (plebiscites) gained authority, and after Lex Hortensia they bound all Romans, not just plebeians. This combination of veto power over magistrates and the ability to initiate protective laws for plebeians is why this office fits the question best. Other offices served different roles—quaestors handled finances, senators advised and debated without a built-in veto, and censors oversaw the census and moral oversight—without the same direct mechanism to veto magistrates or push plebeian-protective legislation.