User:JamarcusW/Plebs

The plebeians were, in ancient Rome, the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census. The precise origins of the group and the term are unclear, though it may be that they began as a limited political movement in opposition to the elite (patricians) which became more widely applied and known as the conflict of order.

**The bold text above is from the original plebs article.

Conflict Of Orders

Main Article: Conflict Of Orders

In 494 BCE, plebeians decided it was time to revolt against patrician officials in a pacisfist manner. The struggle was known as the Conflict of Orders. This conflict lasted approximately 200 years, finally coming to a halt in 287 BCE. Even though the conflict ended, many problems continued to arrise in the feud between plebs and patricians. Prior to this struggle , patricians were in control of relatively any sort of power, with plebs and Slaves having no status quo. plebs decided to protest their rights going through a series of seccesions known as secessio plebis (Secession of the Plebs).

First Seccesion (494 BCE)

Main Article: First secessio plebis

Due to the increasing tax on the working class with no benefits to show from it, the plebs decided to go on strike and flee to Mons Sacer (Sacred Mountain). The plebs established their own assembly known as the Council of Plebs from which 10 tribunes of plebs were elected , whose job was to protect the concerns for plebs against patrician officials.

Second Seccesion (449 BCE)

The early roman laws were unbeknowst to plebs as patrician were the only ones allowed to interpret such unwritten laws otherwise known more as traditions due to the fact they were not made official. The decemvirs were in charge of composing new laws which did not show more significance to plebians but was also made available to the general public. The final composition of laws would be known as the Law of Twelve Tables.

Third Seccesion

Gauius Canuleius proposed a law that granted plebeian and patricians to take eachothers hand in marriage, which is known as the Canuleian Law.

Fourth secession

*unfinished

Fifth Seccesion (287 BCE)

The final secession brought about a new law which would truly bring some form equality between plebs in patricians in the politicals offices. A new law was brought about known as Hortensian Law whiched banned the senates veto of the plebeian council. This brought a halt to aristocracy based offices that was based off of wealth. Rome was beggining to look more like a democracy.

Life As A Pleb

Childhood & Education

Childhood for plebeians was very different compared to their patrician counterparts since they were expected to enter the workforce at a much earlier age. Plebeians typically belonged to a lower socio-economic class than their patrician counterparts, and therefore did not have as many household servants. As a result, plebeian children were responsible for maintaining the household and caring for their aging parents.

Education was limited to what their parent would teach them, which consisted of only learning the very basics of writing, reading and mathematics.Wealthier Plebeians were able to send their children to schools or hire a private tutor.

Living Quarters

Ruins of an Ancient Rome Insulae

Plebeians in ancient Rome lived in buildings called insula, apartment buildings that houses many families. These apartments usually lacked running water and heat. Not all plebeians lived in these run-downed conditions, as some wealthier plebs were able to live in single-family homes, called a domus.

Attire

Plebeian men wore a tunic with a belt at the waist and women wore a long dress called a stola.

Meals

Since meat was very expensive, animal products such as pork, beef and veal would have been considered a delicacy to plebeians. Instead, a plebeian diet mainly consisted of bread and vegetables. Common flavouring for their food included honey, vinegar and different herbs and spices. A well known condiment to this day known as garum which is a fish sauce was also largely consumed.

In Films

A Brtish comedy show named Plebs (2013-Present), follows plebians during Ancient Rome in a comical manor.