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The Plebeian Struggle In The Ancient Roman Republic

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The ancient Roman republic was made up of Patricians and Plebeians, after the expulsion of the kings; Rome was ruled by the Patricians (mainly Aristocrats) but they abused their ruling privileges just like the kings. This led to a struggle between the Plebeians and the Patricians which was referred to as ‘’ the conflict of the Order’’ . The term Order refers to the Patricians and the Plebeians group of the Roman citizens. To resolve the power conflict between the Orders, Patricians gave up some of their privileges but retained religious and vestigial ones. ( Gill N.S. 2017). The Plebeians were virtually poor with little or no political right; ultimately this led to what would become the Plebeian revolt against Patricians. This essay will …show more content…
The Patrician status was obtained only by birth. On the other hand, the Plebeians were referred to as the mass of the Roman citizen that is; all those belonging to the lower class. They were excluded from all important governmental or economic positions which provoked continuous conflicts between both groups. It is important to note that the Patricians and Plebeians were united and fought side by side to drive the kings, but when the struggle ended, the fruit of the victory fell to the Patricians. (Morey C. Williams n.d)). The Plebeian could vote as citizens (comitia centuriata) but they didn’t have right to occupy any of the new offices or senate. The fall of the monarchy rule brought about a Republic system of government in Rome, that is; power was rested in the whole people but to a particular class, it was Aristocratic and not democratic (Morey C. Williams …show more content…
The first (1) succession was due to the following three (3) factors in BC 494. (1) Poverty and Distress due previous wars fought for the interest of all the Romans left the Plebeians in a state of poverty and deplorable conditions. While they were at war, the property of the Patricians were secured and protected by walls while the homes of the Plebeians were in the country, their properties were destroyed by the enemies and their farmland neglected, families driven away and deprived of their home while in military service. All these cause distress for the Plebeians. (Morey C. Williams n.d)). (2) Unjust laws of debts enacted by the Patricians. Having lost their properties and farmland due to war, the Plebeians hadn’t other option rather to borrow money from Aristocratic Patricians whereby they were permanently indebted to the Patricians, if by whatever means they could not offset their debts, they were arrested thrown into dungeon and made slaves to their creditor. It was a systematic procedure to keep the poor in a continual state of poverty without escape route (Morey C. Williams n.d)). (3) Unequal division of public land gained during past wars. These lands were supposed to belong to the people (citizens) and could have been used to help the poor offset their debt rather Patricians secured the land for ‘’ only Patricians’’ so Plebeians were deprived of their fair share of the

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