Downey is a unique community in the heart of Southern California that combines the best of both large and small. We are an active city of 110,000 with a small town atmosphere. This is a place of pride, history, involvement, and community.
The definition of a plebeian is a person in the lower class. An example of a plebeian is a member of the ancient Roman lower class. Plebeian is defined as relating to the common people or lacking in manners. An example of a plebeian act is licking food off of a plate. 1  a member of the ancient Roman lower class. 2  one of the common people.  a vulgar, coarse person.
The plebeians were the lower class. They included everyone who was not a patrician. They were sometimes just called plebs. The patricians were the upper class. They were the wealthy land owners. All free adult males were citizens, no matter what their class. In both classes, the oldest male was the paterfamilias or head of the family. Old age was honored, and women had no rights.