Examples of plebeian in the following topics:
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- The new offices that were created as a result came to be known as “plebeian
tribunes”, and they were to be assisted by “plebeian aediles”.
- Tribunes and
aediles were technically not magistrates since they were only elected by fellow
plebeians as opposed to the unified population of plebeians and patricians.
- Although
a small number of plebeians had achieved the same standing as the patrician
families of the past, new plebeian aristocrats were less interested in the
plight of the average plebeian than the old patrician aristocrats.
- But by 287 BCE, the economic conditions of the
plebeians deteriorated as a result of widespread indebtedness, and the
plebeians sought relief.
- Roman senators, most of whom were also creditors, refused
to give in to the plebeians’ demands, resulting in the first plebeian secession
to Janiculum Hill.
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- The Plebeian Council was identical to the assembly of the tribes, but excluded the patricians.
- They elected their own officers, plebeian tribunes, and plebeian aediles.
- Usually a plebeian tribune would preside over the assembly.
- Since
the tribunes were considered to be the embodiment of the plebeians, they were
sacrosanct.
- Plebeian tribunes and plebeian
aediles were considered representatives of the people and acted as a popular
check over the Senate through use of their veto powers, thus safeguarding the
civil liberties of all Roman citizens.
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- The first century BCE saw tensions between patricians and plebeians erupt into violence as the Republic became increasingly more divided and unstable.
- They wished to limit the power of the popular assemblies and the
Tribune of the Plebeians and to extend the power of the Senate, which was
viewed as more dedicated to the interests of the aristocrats.
- Following a period of
great military successes and economic failures of the early republican period,
many plebeian calls for reform among the classes had been quieted.
- Tiberius Gracchus took office as a tribune of the plebeians in late 134 BCE.
- About nine years later, Tiberius Gracchus's younger brother, Gaius, passed more radical reforms in favor of the poorer plebeians.
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- The most important division within Roman society was between
patricians, a small elite who monopolized political power, and plebeians, who
comprised the majority of Roman society.
- Originally, all
public offices were only open to patricians and the classes could not
intermarry, but over time, the differentiation between patrician and plebeian statuses
became less pronounced, particularly after the establishment of the Roman
republic.
- Most freed slaves joined the lower plebeian classes and
worked as farmers or tradesmen, though as time progressed and their numbers
increased, many were also accepted into the equestrian class.
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- In order to rally the
plebeians to their cause, all were summoned to a legal assembly in the forum
and Lucretia’s body was paraded through the streets.
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- Born Gaius Octavius, Octavian was from an old and wealthy equestrian branch of the plebeian Octavii family.