[867] Zonar. vii. 13 οὔτε ἐκ τῶν δημοσίων χρημάτων ἀναλῶσαι τι ἐξῆν αὐτῷ, εἰ μὴ ἐψηφίσθη.
[868] Liv. Ep. 19 (249 B.C.) “Atilius Calatinus primus dictator extra Italiam exercitum duxit”; Dio Cass. xxxvi. 17 (the dictatorship was limited to Italy) καὶ οὐκ ἂν εὑρεθείη δικτάτωρ οὐδεὶς ἄλλοσε, πλὴν ἑνὸς ἐς Σικελίαν, καὶ ταῦτα μηδὲν πράξαντος, αἱρεθείς.
[869] Festus p. 198 “optima lex in magistro populi faciendo, qui vulgo Dictator appellator, quam plenissimum posset jus ejus esse significabatur ... postquam vero provocatio ab eo magistratu ad populum data est, quae ante non erat, desitum est adici ‘ut optima lege,’ ut pote imminuto jure priorum magistrorum.”
[870] p. 168. It could not have been a consequence of the Valerio-Horatian laws of 449 B.C. (see p. 109).
[871] Liv. xxii. 8.
[872] Livy (xxii. 25) describes it as a rogatio “de aequando magistri equitum et dictatoris jure.” Cf. c. 26 “de aequato imperio.”
[873] Liv. xxii. 57, M. Junius Pera.
[874] Fast. Capitol.
[875] Sulla was nominated by an interrex (though his powers were conferred by law), Caesar by a praetor. Plutarch (Marc. 24) says that the praetor could nominate the dictator, a proceeding which is declared by Cicero to be wholly unconstitutional, ad Att. ix. 15, 2 (49 B.C.) “volet (Caesar) ... vel ut consules roget praetor vel dictatorem dicat, quorum neutrum jus est. Etsi si Sulla potuit efficere, ab interrege ut dictator diceretur, cur hic non possit?” The nomination of Caesar was regular in so far as a special lex was passed which empowered the praetor to nominate (Caes. B.C. ii. 21; Dio Cass. xli. 36).
[876] An exception is found in 216 B.C. M. Fab. Buteo was appointed “dictator sine mag. eq. senatus legendi causa” (see p. 193).