Who were patricians and plebeians?

The terms patricians and plebeians refer to the socio-political structure of Ancient Rome. The patricians were the aristocracy of Rome. They ranked just below the emperor and his family. Patricians were the political, religious, and military leaders of Rome. You had to be born into the patrician class unless your family was specifically appointed by the emperor under special circumstances. The patricians were the landowners of Rome. They lived the life of luxury with large homes and lavish meals. The word patrician has the root word patres, which meant father in Latin. The patricians were viewed as the fathers of Rome.

The plebeians were the lower class people of Rome. The plebs, as they were called, had very little individual power, but could wield great influence when grouped together. This is because the plebeians greatly outnumbered the patrician class. Plebeians worked hard as farmers, craftsman, or in shops. They struggled to provide for their family. The administrators would provide them with food during difficult economic times in order to prevent insurgency.