What Are The Effects Of The Patrician Revolution
From it’s beginning, Rome experienced tensions between the upper class, or patrician class, and the lower class, or the plebian class. These tensions eventually led to violent revolts and dynamic political changes. The first revolt came as the result of the disparity of both the price paid and the rewards gained by joining forces to free Rome of tyrannical rule by kings.
Both the patricians and the plebeians fought together to drive out the kings. In terms of economic cost, however, the plebeians paid dearly. They were chiefly farmers, from outside the city, and their farms at best remained unworked while they were at war and at worst were razed by the enemy. Many returned to absolutely nothing but burnt earth and deprivation. The patricians …show more content…
Yes, they could vote; but they were ineligible to hold most of the newly minted political offices and could not serve in the senate. That was the province of the patricians. In effect, they had paid dearly for a freedom that simply turned out to be an aristocracy.
Since they had nothing, they became reliant on loans from the patrician class in order to try and rebuild their farms and lives. But the debtor’s laws were written in favor of the patricians (by the patricians, of course) and if a debtor fell behind he could be imprisoned and enslaved. The public land was also limited to be used by patricians so the very ground they plebeians had fought on and for was owned by them in the form of public trust, but they were unable to use it.
The first revolt or secession was spurred by the tremendous burden the system of debt was having on the lives of the plebeians. They deserted the Roman army and proposed to form a separate city. The Patricians, sensing potential ruin, agreed on a policy of debt forgiveness and freeing imprisoned debtors. This revolt also led to the creation of the Tribune of the People – two people appointed from among the plebeians who could veto the act of any magistrate whose actions were oppressive or unjust towards any citizen. This was the first real check to the oppression of the plebeians by the
Both the patricians and the plebeians fought together to drive out the kings. In terms of economic cost, however, the plebeians paid dearly. They were chiefly farmers, from outside the city, and their farms at best remained unworked while they were at war and at worst were razed by the enemy. Many returned to absolutely nothing but burnt earth and deprivation. The patricians …show more content…
Yes, they could vote; but they were ineligible to hold most of the newly minted political offices and could not serve in the senate. That was the province of the patricians. In effect, they had paid dearly for a freedom that simply turned out to be an aristocracy.
Since they had nothing, they became reliant on loans from the patrician class in order to try and rebuild their farms and lives. But the debtor’s laws were written in favor of the patricians (by the patricians, of course) and if a debtor fell behind he could be imprisoned and enslaved. The public land was also limited to be used by patricians so the very ground they plebeians had fought on and for was owned by them in the form of public trust, but they were unable to use it.
The first revolt or secession was spurred by the tremendous burden the system of debt was having on the lives of the plebeians. They deserted the Roman army and proposed to form a separate city. The Patricians, sensing potential ruin, agreed on a policy of debt forgiveness and freeing imprisoned debtors. This revolt also led to the creation of the Tribune of the People – two people appointed from among the plebeians who could veto the act of any magistrate whose actions were oppressive or unjust towards any citizen. This was the first real check to the oppression of the plebeians by the