Plebeian Families

The number of slaves in Rome grew at a very rapid rate. In 225 B.C. There were an estimated 600,000 slaves in Roman society and within 200 years the number went up to an estimated two million slaves (Burks 9); the proportion of slaves grew from an estimated 15% to 35% of the population (Ibid.). To provide for Rome 's hunger of slaves, the Roman government relied on an ever-consistent income of available slaves. The government 's reliance on slavery cannot be overstated since the slaves were needed to work a majority of jobs in the empire. All of the Roman soldiers lived civilian lives away from battle but they could be called away at a moment’s notice, which left hundreds of jobs stripped of workers. Since the soldier/citizens could be

Moreover, while the production and transportation of goods was influential to the trading industry, the Romans were able to expand their empire by conquering distant lands.

Trade is extremely important to any civilization that intends on growing and prospering. There were basically two different kinds of trade routes. The sea routes which incorporated shipping items over water and the land routes where they carted items back and forth, both of which provided items and money into the economy of Rome. Such items as grains, cereals, papyrus, and silk were traded. Control and the efficient use of these trades routes certainly helps a developing nation, but is it the main factor in why Rome grew so fast?

Because Augustus encouraged trade, many roads and highways were built for convenient traveling. Trading made easier increased trade, which boosted Roman economy even more.

Many Romans thought their time was best spent in providing for the community, as a solider or

After they conquered a foreign land, the Romans became responsible for maintaining the area. If the Romans failed to maintain their new territory, they would eventually lose it to foreign invaders. Workers would be needed to secure the area and repair any structural damage that may have resulted from the initial conquest of the area. But, workers are not cheap, and the Romans would want to save their money for future conquests. That’s where slavery comes in. The Romans enslaved all of the people they conquered in order to meet the demand for affordable

The Romans used commerce to consolidate the provinces and territories of their vast empire. Being a part of the Empire was of great economic benefit to almost all of the members; insomuch as the Romans built roads and protected sea routes, and inasmuch as the Roman Empire was so large, the Roman Empire’s subjects benefited from what amounted to a massive free trade zone. Roman commerce was a major factor in preserving the Empire for so long.

However, it hurt the yield of production because the provinces would pay more taxes if they produce more. Produced agricultural products in the provinces traded and contributed to the Roman economy.

In addition, Germans treated slaves with much more respect than Romans did. In Rome, the upper class were able to purchase numerous slaves to work in their house, and on their land. Slave owners in Rome treated their slaves harshly and with much disrespect, not providing them with necessities needed to survive. Their reason for this was

Why were plebeians so important to Rome? In ancient Rome, the upper class of aristocrats, the patricians, were wealthy and powerful, but few, so to expand Rome's territory, as well as to protect it, they needed the large population of common people, plebeians, to furnish soldiers for the growing army. While Rome had always been threatened by neighboring states, military threats from its rivals increased as its borders grew, and as well, it had to maintain control over the territories it had already conquered. Roman colonies needed protection, as did Romain resources, especially valuable or strategic ones. Furthermore, the city of Rome itself needed defending.

They claimed that their ancestry gave them authority to make laws for Rome. The plebeians were citizens of Rome with the right to vote. However, they were barred by law from holding the most important government positions. In time, Rome’s leaders allowed the plebeians to form their own assembly and elect representatives called tribunes. Tribunes protected the rights of the plebeians from unfair acts of patrician officials. (page 156)

There were a number of Roman laws regarding slavery, and these too, changed over time. In the Republican period, slaves had no rights and were always subject to the whims of their owners. They did have some legal standing, however. They were allowed to act as witnesses in trials, and could gain freedom either through their owner's gratitude after loyal service or by buying it through the meager earnings they might collect over a lifetime of service. For example, owners in the Republic had the right to kill or mutilate slaves at a whim, but later imperial laws took this right away, though in practice this law could be largely ignored. This represents how valued slaves were to the Roman people.

Rome felt under constant threat, at the beginning of the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was initially ruled by the rich and powerful. This ruling began “After the overthrow of the monarchy, Roman nobles, eager to maintain their position of power, established a republican form of government”(p.129). Later on, this power to the rich would prove chaos. The patricians who “were descendants of the original senators appointed during the period of the kings were great landowners, who constituted an aristocratic governing class”(p.129). The plebeians did not have this power of authority like the patricians did. The plebeians were “constituted the considerably larger group of non-patrician large landowners, less wealthy landholders, artisans, merchants, and small farmers”(p.129). These people could vote with the patricians but could not be elected into office, they could not marry someone out of the patricians and vice versa, it was forbidden for these groups to intertwine.

Some would have been farmers, other craftsmen, laborers and also soldiers. Most, but not all, were poor. The observation in status is substantiated in that during the Struggle of the Orders; the Plebeians were able to provide their leadership which would suggest some would have been well educated and financially sound. The fact that the Plebeians were the worker bees of Rome would prove to be one of their greatest strengths and assets.

Adding onto the point where slaves were put on the market like things, slaves were also discriminated due to their previous nationality. Both of these actions illustrate inhuman behaviour by the Ancient Romans. In addition to buying and selling slaves, there is one more option which tops off these poor choices. In Ancient Rome, one was also able to rent a slave. This is renting a human being. Renting tools or horses was ordinary but renting another person just exemplifies how Romans treated slaves as things, rather than people.