It also usually assigned the commands, organized the provinces, and managed the finances.
The causes for this ascendency of the Senate are not hard to find.

It was a body made up of men capable of conducting affairs.

It could be convened at any time, whereas the voters of the Comitias were scattered over all Italy, and, if assembled, would not be competent to decide questions demanding knowledge of military matters and foreign policy.
The Senate and the Roman nobility were in the main the same.

All patricians were nobles, but all nobles were not patricians.

The patricians were the descendants of the original founders of the city.
The nobles were the descendants of any one who had filled one of the following six curule offices, viz.