Decree of the Senate A decree of the senate had no formal, legal force, it was simply an expression of the senate's opinion, even though, in practice, senatorial decrees formed the basis of many laws that were enacted by the Roman people. Not that the very last provision of this decree is that the consuls of the coming year will bring a law about honors for Germanicus before the people, who could not emend the proposal, but simply vote yes or no. The delay until the new year would give time for Tiberius to respond to the senate's request for guidance. Since Tiberius was in Rome (and the senate was meeting right next door to his house) minimal delay could be expected unless he chose to wait for Germanicus' wife Agrippina to return from Syria.