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plebeians

The "plebs" were the vast majority of society and they constituted a social class made of the common folk. Generally speaking they were the descendants of people who had come to Rome after the Patrician families had founded it. Possibly they were descended from freed men or simple immigrants.

Plebeians were usually poor and this meant that their work was related to working the land of the rich Patricians although generally speaking carrying out trade and commerce was not forbidden to them.

The basic subdivision between Patricians and Plebeians lasted throughout the history of Rome although the shift from kingdom to republic and then to empire clearly meant some changes in the relative access to power of the different classes.

Much of Roman politics, particularly during the republican age, was to do with the struggle for rights and the sharing of power between the Plebeians and Patricians. They were rather like two political parties. Julius Caesar for example stood for the Plebeians (the people's party) although it is important to note that he himself was a Patrician. Politics huh!?

Plebeians selling themselves into Slavery

Something which may seem totally bizarre is the situation whereby the poorest plebeians might actually sell their children or even themselves into slavery so as to be able to have access to the houses of the rich. This would allow them the possibility of an education, of earning money, their freedom and eventually of allowing their descendants to ascend the social ladder.

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"plebeians" was written by Giovanni Milani-Santarpia for www.mariamilani.com - Rome apartments