Introduction
The conflict between the Patricians and the Plebeians is another example of the rich taking advantage of the poorer citizens of a country. Like all others, when it reaches a point where the disadvantaged can’t seem to bear the inequality or lack of attention regarding rights and privileges any longer, revolt is the outcome. According to Nelson (2015), “The patricians were the ruling class of the early Roman Empire. Only certain families were part of the patrician class and you had to be born a patrician. The patricians were only a small percentage of the Roman population, but they held all the power. All the other citizens of Rome were Plebeians. Plebeians were the farmers, craftsmen, laborers, …show more content…
Because of their demise regarding the loss of their homes and property, they now were forced to borrow from the rich Patricians who took full advantage of the situation. According to Morey (1901), “ The law of debt was not only harsh in itself, but its effect was to keep the poor in a continual state of poverty, from which they could not easily escape.” This was a dire situation (many people became slaves of the Patricians) and the Plebeians were not willing to continue in this state for long. Another area in which the Plebeians were unjustly treated and which kept them poor regarded the distribution of the lands that were captured as a result of their victories in wars. The Patricians did not do the proper thing and ensure that all the citizens benefitted, but they took the lands for themselves. “This land properly belonged to all the people, and might have been used to relieve the distress of the poor. But the government was in the hands of the patricians, and they disposed of this land for their own benefit” (Morey, …show more content…
This struggle is called the "Conflict of the Orders." Over the course of around 200 years the plebeians gained more rights. They protested by going on strike. They would leave the city for a while, refuse to work, or even refuse to fight in the army. Eventually, the plebeians gained a number of rights including the right to run for office and marry patricians (Nelson, 2015).
After the first secession of the Plebeians, the debt issue was dealt with. Debts were cancelled and people who were imprisoned because of debt were released. A new office was also created to protect Plebeians from any further aggressive acts form the Patrician Magistrates. This new office, the tribune of the people was given special powers to voice the concerns of the common man. This also led to the formation of the Plebeian assembly which was allowed to address the people about their interest without interference of the