what were the two classes of roman society
Social class in ancient Rome In the Roman Kingdom and the early Roman Republic the most important division in Roman society was between the patricians and the plebeians. The patricians were a small elite whose ancestry was traced to the first Senate established by Romulus,[3] who monopolised political power. The plebeians comprised the majority of Roman citizens (see below). Adult males who were not Roman citizens, whether free or slave, fall outside this division. Women and children were also not citizens, but took the social status of their father or husband, which granted them various rights and protections not available to the women and children of men of lower rank.
Roman Republic Roman government in the early Republic was dominated by patricians, a wealthy, landowning minority who traced their ancestry to Rome's foundation, and had overthrown its monarchy. They shared the former powers of the kings among themselves, in the form of annually elected magistracies, senior military posts, and influential priesthoods. Republican government was headed by two consuls, advised by a senate of magistrates and ex-magistrates. Social class and status determined a citizen's voting rights, the value of his vote, and his lawful capacity for high civil, military and religious office; a patrician's vote far outweighed that of a citizen-commoner (pleb); this led to conflicts between the patrician minority and the far more numerous plebs. A series of constitutional reforms recognised wealthy, leading plebeian families as a legitimate aristocracy, and their most distinguished, reputable men as eligible for the highest elected offices.
Fall of the Western Roman Empire Within the late Roman military, many recruits and even officers had barbarian origins, and soldiers are recorded as using possibly-barbarian rituals such as elevating a claimant on shields.[32] Some scholars have seen this as an indication of weakness; others disagree, seeing neither barbarian recruits nor new rituals as causing any problem with the effectiveness or loyalty of the army.[33]
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