The cursus honorum connected military service with a sequence of civil offices. Censors supervised the census and public morality and could exercise considerable influence over serving consuls. Former consuls and praetors could continue exercising authority as proconsuls and propraetors in a province or military command. This allowed an experienced officeholder to remain responsible for an unfinished campaign. The dictatorship provided a different kind of authority, concentrated in one person for a specified task and ending when that task was complete.
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Roman offices and extended military commands
Roman offices supplied checks on authority and ways to retain experienced commanders beyond their original term.