blog




  • Essay / The Plebeian Revolt in Ancient Rome

    In early Rome, it was ruled by a tyrannical king whom the people disliked. The Patricians and Plebeians decided to put aside their differences and revolt against those in power. When they succeeded, they then had to figure out who should rule their newly freed people and what laws to put in place to ensure they were no longer ruled in this way. The only problem with being free without just rulers already at hand meant that the citizens with the most assets and dominion before their victory would come to claim the right to rule. This also meant that the lower-class Plebeians, forced to commit most physical revolts, would themselves be exhausted and in need of help. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The problem: Patricians held all the rights and privileges of citizenship, wealthy aristocratic members of Roman society. They reaped the rewards of their victory, claiming all private and public lands while the plebeians fought, putting them in a much poorer and disadvantaged position. They did, however, rule their new Rome with great consideration for the plebeian class, in order to keep them beholden to them rather than coexisting peacefully. "The Plebeians were reduced to the condition of a debtor class" because they were forced to borrow essentially their own properties, as well as borrow money and other land to support their families and earn a living. Some of the fruits of war, such as newly acquired lands from won battles and overthrown areas, should have been public and accessible to all. The patricians, however, took it for themselves and gave it to other wealthy people instead of the class of people who fought for them to have it. The revolt: The plebeian revolt should have been highly anticipated because they had just fought to free themselves from tyranny. and an unjust king. And then they were put back in the same position as before. They revolted by refusing to “do their duty” so to speak. They left the army, leaving the upper class vulnerable, and proposed founding their own city beyond Mons Saucer. This resulted in all of their debts being forgiven and their class being allowed to be part of a government and officially part of society instead of being slaves to society. They were given platforms to sit as the voice of the Plebeians, so that the Patricians could not pass laws that went against them. They also formed an assembly that essentially allowed the people to speak freely about their problems and the areas in which they wanted change, without interruption or dispersal by the magistrates. Ultimately, even after uniting to win freedom, the Patricians' lordly mentality and greed led to the enslavement of their own people simply because they were poor. They believed they could keep them bound by slavery and dues, but ended up being what they bound to escape. Fortunately, this led to more equality between 2 classes of people and unity when they would need it most in the future..