In seeking for the origin and primitive character of the Roman assembly we are enabled by comparative study to reach a stage of growth far anterior to the beginnings of Roman tradition. In its earliest known form the European popular assembly had the following characteristics, provisionally enumerated here, but established in the next chapter: (1) the people who attended were the mass of freemen of a tribe, especially the warriors; (2) they stood or sat promiscuously, without reference to sub-tribal groups; (3) measures were proposed by none but chiefs or nobles, generally after previous discussion in council, the common members wholly lacking initiative; (4) the speakers were as a rule, though not exclusively, chieftains; (5) the vote was by acclamation, the clash of weapons, or some similar demonstration; as a correlate of (3) and (4) may be added, (6) sovereignty, so far as the idea existed, resided not in the assembly, which of itself could take no action, but in the king and chieftains, who made use of the assembly (_a_) for the publication of news or of projects, (_b_) for securing by their eloquence the coöperation of the tribe in a plan already formed in council. However far developed beyond this crude institution the comitia curiata or the comitia centuriata of the republican period may have been, traces of all the characteristics above mentioned may be found in the historical Roman assembly[858]—a fact which justifies the comparative method of approach to the subject.