The Plebeians Role In Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome is known for some of the most powerful leaders, rulers, and kings to ever walk the earth. With many powerful leaders came many different political styles, ideas, and philosophies ranging from the democracy we have in America today to power driven tyrants consumed by their greed for new land and more cities to rule.

Rome was mostly run by their Consuls. They had the power to run the military and are also the supreme masters of the government. They could bring matters to debate to the Senate and could pass the majority ruling of the Assemblies. However, the Senate was in charge of proposing laws, had control over the treasury, handled crimes needing investigation and could send diplomats. The Assemblies

Patricians hold all the offices in ancient Rome and plebeians who outnumbered them were mostly farmers, craftsmen and soldiers. Therefore one can understand that practically while plebeians had no rights or knowledge, they were in an advantageous position as patricians couldn’t defend the city or do any kind of job without their help. Plebeians couldn’t tolerate the increasing debt and the abuse of patricians and demanded equality, by blackmailing the patricians

In Ancient Rome, The way society worked was much similar to America. The Roman social class is and has been very significant in the operational American social class. None of the Roman class’ was oppressed or enslaved rather they were split into two. Once the Romans defeated the Etruscans they went on to build an empire that would change the world. Their influence in today’s society is still very present. We still borrow ideas from them. They formed a government where they would elect people to represent for them, called a republic. This is still the foundation for government in most of today’s world. They formed a system of law that was completely ahead of it’s time so much so that it has become the base for many countries legal system today; one of these being The United States. The political system they built, coincidental caused a division between the Romans. Plebeians were the common people of Rome; the Patricians who were the ones of higher class could serve in the consul. This was the highest position in the senate. The Assembly was made up of Plebeians. They had gained a significant amount of importance when they were the ones given the power to elect Consuls. The Assembly head position was a tribune; he was the leader of the Assembly and had a lot of power. Then they developed the Law of Twelve Tables, a

Plebeians pressured the patricians to make political concessions, one result being the publication of laws which served as a check on decisions by judicial officers. New officials and tribunes were created and were drawn from non-elite classes. They could veto or block actions the Assembly or officials that threatened lower order interests.

Chapter three labeled "Empire Urban life and imperial Majesty in Rome,China,and India. In Republican Rome a man named Romulus inaugurated traditional distinction between the patricians and the plebian. The patricians were the where the land owners who were also aristocrats that served as priests, magistrates, lawyers and/or judges. The plebian were the lower classed poor people who consisted of craftsmen, merchants and laborers. In 510 BCE the roman people expelled the last Etruscan kings and decided to rule themselves with without the need for a monarchy.

The trials of political success and error throughout history, have led to more efficient and authentic ways of governing, making nations stronger over the course of time. While the United States and the Roman Republic share similar political systems, the structure of the Roman Republic is in many ways flawed compared to the modern Democratic Republic of the U.S. nation. The Roman Republic’s rigid social structure flawed their political system because there was less flexibility within the social ladder, affecting citizens and their opportunity to be elected into office. The Republic’s society was made up of two distinct and separate social classes, the Patricians and the Plebeians. “In the early years of the Roman Republic, patricians controlled all the religious and political offices; plebeians had no right of appeal against decisions of the patrician government, since no laws were codified or published.

The consuls were the supreme power of authority with one year terms and could not be elected more than two times in a row and three times total. However, in situations of crisis, the Romans were led by a dictator who had complete power in a six month term. The Republic also had a senate, picked by the two consuls. The senators held their position for life and were responsible for taxes, funding laws, and foreign affairs. Next in line were the assembly, an elected body drawn from the citizens of Rome with two year terms and no term limits. The assembly occasionally made laws that had to be approved by the senate. The common people of Rome were called the Plebeians. The Plebeians served in the army, payed taxes, and had other citizen duties, but were not allowed to hold any important positions in office, unlike the Patricians who had all the rights. The Tribunes represented the voice of the Plebeians and were elected by the Plebeians. There were two Tribunes at a time with one year terms and had the power to veto any law. The Tribunes were “sacred” and left their doors open to the public to speak to them about any problems they might have

The palebians made up the majority of the population. But they were not allowed to have any say in political issues. The palebians were the poor, lower class citizens who couldn't become priests or be a part of the senate. They were the peasants, craftsmen, farmers, and shopkeepers. On the other hand, the patricians were the ones who were wealthy (the upper class) and the only ones that could have power in religious offices, in the senate, and could control over the military. Unllike the Palebians, the patricians were the smaller part of the population that had all the power. But just because the Patricians had all the control over Rome, this did not mean that the Palebians weren't important or "necessary"

It is clear that the dynamics that characterized Rome’s society during the Republic were never easy. There was a constant push and pull of intentions and interests between Patricians and Plebeians. The Patricians always wanting to maintain economic and political supremacy while the Plebeians were in constant

However, after a long struggle the patricians finally codified and published the law which covered many legal issues, including property ownership, guardianship, inheritance, procedure for trials, and punishments for various crimes (p. 131). There were two elected officials with in the plebeians, the Licinius and Sextius tribunes; the wealthy plebeians finally gained the opportunity to provide elected political leadership for the senate. They also gained such cosmetic privileges as wearing the purple-bordered toga (p. 131). However, access to the highest political offices was still difficult for any plebeian, who often had to get the support of patrician families if he wanted a political career (p. 132). Unfortunately, since the patricians were already established, the political power had been expanded only slightly and still resided largely in a group of wealthy families, some of whom happened to be plebeian (p.132). Roman politics operated by a patron-client system, were free men would promise their votes to a certain electoral for help with legal

The Roman Republic was a very important and successful community. The Romans provided common goods such as public service, protecting rights, rule of law, common defense, and the economic system. These common goods helped out in this time. They were really important to the Romans to live the way they did. Here is my point of view on them.

The patricians were only a small part of the Roman population, but had all the power. All the other citizens of Rome were Plebeians, and they were the farmers, laborers, and soldiers of Rome. There were many more Plebeians than Patricians and you bet the used that to their advantage to gain equality. The Patricians would be scared that the Plebeians would rebel so they ended up compromising. When there would be upcoming battles Patricians and Plebeians would be

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)

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.