Why Were Plebeians So Important To Rome?

Why were plebeians so important to Rome? As I said in my written Assignment, plebeians were the lower class, and had little individual power. They included everyone who was not a patrician, senatorial or equestrian class, and were sometimes just called plebs. They were working citizens of Ancient Rome such as: farmers, bakers, builders or craftsmen who worked hard to support their families. The plebeians could not hold any meaningful office, but sit in the senate. The Plebeians were left in a state, and had to be forced into living a poor lifestyle or poverty. They were living in a deplorable condition in the country, and their daily life was a struggle. In addition they lived in three-or-four story apartment houses called insulae. These last
The apartments were built from wood and often badly constructed. It was not unheard of for a building to collapse or start on fire. Slaves in patrician households often lived in better conditions than was found in plebeian apartments. Plebeian children would follow in the career of their parents. Schooling, if any, was usually only for a couple of years in order for them to learn to read, write and do basic math. Plebeian children usually did not have beds, but if they did, they often had to share it with others in their apartment. The apartments often had no kitchens, so families would pick up food at local take out restaurants or bars. Meals for these people consisted of coarse bread, bean or pea soup, and some porridge. It was a treat if once a month they could include a roasted chicken or rabbit with their meals (Williams 2003, pg. 21). They were so important to Rome because they help this last one to become richer by borrowing money from the Patricians who were rich but could not pay back the money. For this reason they were treated harshly, made slaves, deprived of their houses and fields, and of the means of