Patricians and Plebians of Ancient Rome
There were two main social classes in the ancient Roman Empire, the patricians and the plebians. Social class in ancient Rome was based on family relationships, land ownership, accumulated wealth, Roman citizenship, and free status. These two groups were locked in a constant power struggle for power in Rome. This bitter power struggles focused on the rights of plebians to hold public office. These conflicts continued to escalate during the early years of Rome’s rise to prominence. However, these conflicts were partly resolved by the Licinian-Sextian laws which introduced some political equality between the patricians and the plebians in 300 B. ... Patricians were the ruling class of ancient Rome.