Plebeians and Patricians of Ancient Rome

Plebeians and Patricians of Ancient Rome

The plebeians and the patricians were the two main classes of Roman citizens. The affluent members of the top class were called patricians. Everybody else was viewed as a commoner.

Plebeians and Patricians of Ancient Rome

Patricians

The early Roman Empire’s ruling class was known as the patricians. The patrician class was exclusive to specific families, and membership required birth. Despite making up a very small portion of the Roman populace, the patricians possessed absolute control.

Plebeians

The Plebeians made up the majority of Rome’s population. Rome’s farmers, artisans, workers, and warriors were known as Plebeians.

In Early Rome

During Rome’s early years, the plebeians enjoyed limited rights. Patricians occupied every position in the government and the religious establishment. The patricians ruled over the army as generals, controlled the territory, and enacted the laws. Plebeians were forbidden from entering public office and from getting married to patricians.

The Plebeians Revolt

The Plebeians started to rebel against the patricians’ rule approximately 494 BC. We refer to this conflict as the “Conflict of the Orders.” Approximately 200 years passed, during which the plebeians’ rights increased. They went on strike as a form of protest. They would stop working, temporarily leave the city, or even decide not to enlist in the army. The Plebeians eventually won a variety of rights, including as the ability to marry patricians and seek for public office.

The Law of the Twelve Tables

The Law of the Twelve Tables was among the first concessions made by the patricians to the plebeians. The laws known as the Twelve Tables, were displayed for everyone to see. Regardless of socioeconomic level, they safeguarded some fundamental rights for all Roman citizens.

Plebeian Officers

The plebeians eventually gained the right to choose their own representatives in government. They chose “tribunes” to stand in for the plebeians and defend their rights. The Roman senate might veto any new legislation passed by them.

Plebeian Nobles

The legal distinctions between the plebeians and the patricians got less and less throughout time. The Plebeians had the ability to elect senators and even consuls. It was also possible for patricians and plebeians to wed. Rich plebeians joined the ranks of the Roman aristocracy. In ancient Rome, the patricians continued to control most of the money and power, notwithstanding legislative changes.

Facts About Plebeians and Patricians

• A third social class in Roman society was the slaves. Around one third of the people living in Rome were slaves.
• One of Rome’s most famous senators, Cicero, was a plebeian. Because he was the first of his family to be elected to the senate, he was called a “New Man.”
• In general, plebeians and patricians did not mix socially.
• Julius Caesar was a patrician, but he was sometimes considered a champion of the common people.
• The Plebeian Council was led by the elected tribunes. Many new laws were passed by the Plebeian Council because the procedures were simpler than in the senate. The Plebeian Council lost its power with the fall of the Roman Republic.
• Freshmen students in the United States military academies are nicknamed “plebs.”
• Some of the most famous patrician families include Julia (Julius Caesar), Cornelia, Claudia, Fabia, and Valeria.

Read also: Slaves of ancient Rome