HIST 1421 Unit 4 - WA

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Running head: PATRICIANS AND PLEBEIAN CLASSES	1
PATRICIANS AND PLEBEIAN CLASSES 		2
Patricians and Plebeian Classes
Economic and Political Differences and what led to the Plebeian Revolt
University of the People
Patricians and Plebeian Classes
Economic and Political Differences and what led to the Plebeian Revolt
Introduction
In transforming itself into an aristocratic republic, the Roman Kingdom brought many struggles and challenges. Changes that occurred due to the tyranny of the last Tarquin, Tarquinius Superbus. Brutus and Collatinus were the engineering minds behind the ban on the last Tarquin.
We then read about the conspiracy that took place among the sons of Brutus, his execution by his own father, the Etruscans 'attempts to restore Tarquinius with Brutus's death, the Latins' attempt to help the Tarquins and the rise, and the formation of the new government. Now, I’ll explain the consequences on how Roman citizens had their own battles, in relation to the economic and political differences between the two classes of Rome, Patricians and Plebeians, and the rise to the first revolt ( Morey, 1901).Economic Differences Amongst the two Classes
Patricians
The Patricians were wealthy Aristocrats who were living in the city and their properties were protected by the city walls and even though the land remained public it was ‘hogged’ by the Patricians, as their ‘own’ property the longer they lived on it (Morey, 1901).
Plebeians
The Plebeians’ houses were generally in the countryside, but their properties were destroyed during the period in which they served in the war and they had no means of subsistence, which reduced their conditions to poverty during the war period against the tyranny of the last Tarquin. In addition, they were kept in a state of poverty through the unjust debt law, where they borrowed from the wealthy aristocrats and ended up in debt because they were too poor to pay back. The law states that when in debt, they would be arrested and become slaves to their debtor. They were deprived of their parcel of land because of the "monopolization" of the land by the patricians (Morey, 1901).
Political Differences Amongst the two Classes
Patricians
The Patricians were made up of rich Aristocrats who held the chief power in the Roman city. They were just as bad as the tyranny of the King. They held new offices in the comitia centuriata and sat on the Senate (Morey, 1901).
Plebeians 
Plebeians could vote in the comitia centuriata but could not hold any new offices nor could they sit on the Senate (Morey, 1901).
The First Revolt
	It was because of their debts and the laws around the debt that ultimately let the Plebeians to revolt. They decided to no longer serve the army. This was obviously seen as a loss to the Roman Empire so they decided to resolve the issue (Morey, 1901).
The Results of the First Revolt
	One of the results of the first revolt was the tribune of the people, that is, it was the creation of a new office. These were protected from further oppression by the patricians who agreed to appoint two ordinary tribunes who could exercise their authority without interference and that this person could not be arrested and those who interfered with their legal duties could be killed.
 In addition, the plebeian assembly could be called by tribunes, address the people taking their interests into consideration with no interruptions from the magistrate. They could pass resolutions which were related to the Plebeians but not public at large. They eventually held a position in the state, many years later, for the first time (Morey, 1901).
The agrarian law was also proposed, though it was not accepted by the patricians. This law brought justice to the distribution of the land. The land still belonged to the entire state and to the patricians, where it was still allowed to remain on their land, but needed to be distributed equally (Morey, 1901).
Conclusion
	The problems were resolved in the first revolt of the Plebeians though the conflict of the two classes went on another 50 years. The Plebeians continued the struggle for equal laws, leading to the concession to the Plebeians and further compromise between the two orders. They also continue further down the line fighting for political equality (Morey, 1901). 
References
Morey, C.M., (1901). Chapter VII, The struggle for economic rights. Outlines of Roman History. Retrieved from http://www.forumromanum.org/history/morey07.html