Editing Roman Republic (section)

====Plebeians and patricians====
{{Main|Conflict of the Orders}}

Beginning with their revolt against Tarquin, and continuing through the early years of the Republic, Rome's patrician aristocrats were the dominant force in politics and society. They initially formed a closed group of about 50 large families, called [[Gens|''gentes'']], who monopolised Rome's magistracies, state priesthoods, and senior military posts. The most prominent of these families were the [[Cornelii]], [[Aemilii]], [[Claudii]], [[Fabii]], and [[Valerii]]. The leading families' power, privilege and influence derived from their wealth, in particular from their landholdings, their position as [[Patronage in ancient Rome|patrons]], and their numerous clients.{{sfn|Cornell|1995|pp=289–291}}

The vast majority of Roman citizens were commoners of various social degrees. They formed the backbone of Rome's economy, as [[smallholding]] farmers, managers, artisans, traders, and tenants. In wartime, they could be summoned for military service. Most had little direct political influence. During the early Republic, the ''[[plebs]]'' (or plebeians) emerged as a self-organised, culturally distinct group of commoners, with its own internal hierarchy, laws, customs, and interests.{{sfn|Cornell|1995|pp=256–259|ps=. ''Plebs'' ("the mass") was originally a disparaging term, but was adopted as a badge of pride by those whom it was meant to insult. It might not have referred to wealthier commoners.}} Plebeians had no access to high religious and civil office.{{efn|Several historians, notably [[Tim Cornell]], have challenged this view, saying that in the early Republic the [[Fasti Consulares]] bear names that are distinctively plebeian. Therefore, they claim that the plebeians were only excluded from higher offices by the Decemvirate in 451&nbsp;BC. More recently, [[Corey Brennan]] has dismissed this theory, arguing that the consular plebeians would not have let the Decemvirs take their power away that easily. Cf {{harnvb|Brennan|2000|pp=24–25}}. He attributes the "plebeian" names in the ''fasti'' to patrician ''gentes'' who later died out or became plebeians.}} For the poorest, one of the few effective political tools was their withdrawal of labour and services, in a ''[[secessio plebis]]''; the [[First secessio plebis|first such secession]] occurred in 494&nbsp;BC, in protest at the abusive treatment of plebeian debtors by the wealthy during a famine.{{efn|The traditional date for the first secession is given by Livy as 494; many other dates have been suggested, and several such events probably took place. See {{harvnb|Cornell|1995|pp=215–218, 256–261, 266}}.}} The patrician Senate was compelled to give them direct access to the written civil and religious laws and to the [[Elections in the Roman Republic|electoral]] and political process. To represent their interests, the ''plebs'' elected [[Tribune of the Plebs|tribunes]], who were personally sacrosanct, immune to [[arbitrary arrest]] by any magistrate, and had veto power over legislation.{{efn|For a discussion of the duties and legal status of plebeian tribunes and aediles, see {{harnvb|Lintott|1999b|pp=[https://books.google.com/books?id=QIKEpOP4lLIC&pg=PA92 92–101]}}}}