PATRICIANS VS.

PLEBEIANS 1

Patricians vs. Plebeians

HIST 1421

Mike Green

July 15, 2021

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Patricians vs. Plebeians

Introduction

In ancient Rome, there were two major classes of citizens, the patricians and the

plebeians. The Patricians were the noble-born of the Romans, while the plebeians were the

common folk (Arzamas, 2017). There was much infighting and discontentment between the two

groups.

The civil unrest in ancient Rome was a point of severe contention and directly related to

the policy that the plebeians could not redress their debts or wrongs (Morey, 1901). This meant

that the poor and indebted faction of the Roman culture had no way to recover. Most of the

poverty experienced by the plebeians was due to a loophole in the law that allowed the patricians

to occupy their land while they were at war (Morey, 1901). The struggle between the patricians

and the plebeians spanned nearly 200 years, and the right to participate in state decisions, the

most significant outcome of this struggle, would not be won in a single conflict (Arzamas, 2017).

The plebeians made up the armed forces of ancient Rome, which was used as leverage

against the noble patricians, threatening to leave Rome, rendering it vulnerable without an army

(Arzamas, 2017). The plebeians left their general, marched to a nearby hill, and began planning

to form their own independent city (Morey, 1901). At this point, the patricians were forced to

concede; therefore, any who were bankrupt or jailed because of their inability to pay their debts

were forgiven and released (Morey, 1901).

During this civil unrest, there was no reprieve from the outside conflict that Rome

experienced with its enemies, and the absence of the army of the plebeians was a serious state

matter that drove the patricians to at least partially grant the petitions of the plebeians, although

this was not preferred. The plebeians used the pressure of the social order and the enemies of the
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state to their advantage and wisely leveraged their position at a time when their petitions would

have to be granted.

The second benefit, and perhaps the most important, gained from the first revolt was the

appointment of a tribune, which meant that there would be a plebeian representative in the state

offices who had the power to veto any act of magistrate that they deemed unjust (Morey, 1901).

This gave the plebeians a significant amount of sway over state affairs, which was the first in a

series of important changes to Roman governmental laws.

The plebeians intended to have equal rights with the patricians, who were well known for

exploiting the economic need of the plebeians. Eventually, after the second succession in 445

B.C., there would come into effect a law known as Lex Canuleia, which would grant

intermarriage between the two classes, furthering the cause of social and political equality

(Morey, 1901).

Conclusion

The social and economic struggle between the patricians and the plebeians would reform

the Roman governmental structure permanently. It would transform the state from an aristocracy

to more of a republic, where the historical classist regime would have to share its power with the

common folk. The “Struggle of Orders,” as it would come to be known, was a lengthy battle of

class that struggled against the social and economic boundaries that Rome had known and

operated by as its standards of living (Morey, 1901). However, the reform would allow Rome to

grow exponentially as it ceased internal quarreling and conquered the known world of ancient

Rome.
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Word Count: 570

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References

Arzamas. (2017). Ancient Rome in 20 minutes [Video]. In YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ZXl-V4qwY

Morey, W. C. (1901). Outlines of Roman History. Forum Romanum.

http://www.forumromanum.org/history/index.html