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Why did they force the patricians to give plebeians the rights they demanded?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
The plebeians had an organised movement. Plebeian agitations were a constant feature in the Early Republic. The plebeian movement originally created a state within the state. They seceded in 494 BC. They left Rome en masse and threatened to establish a new city to the northwest of Rome. They did so out of disaffection with the patrician-controlled Roman state which had failed to respond to their demands for protection against the abuse of defaulting debtors by creditors who imprisoned them, tortured them and sometimes even sold them as slaves. The secession also gave more effectiveness to the plebeian's main weapon in the early days: the refusal to join the army. This was a serious matter because at that time Rome was under constant attack by three of its neighbouring peoples.
The plebeians created their leaders, the plebeian tribunes, and assembly, the plebeian council. When they returned to Rome, they turned the Aventine Hill into a something like a separate state. Here they made their own decisions independently from the consuls and senate. In the early days direct action was what gave the plebeians bargaining power. Over time, more and more concessions were made.
It has to be noted that there were differences in the interests of the rich plebeians who led the plebeian movement and the poor plebeians. The rich plebeians wanted access to the offices of state which were the preserve of the patricians. The poor plebeians had economic grievances. The rich plebeian leaders won their struggle with the help of liberal patricians who supported reform. The rich plebeians were co-opted into the establishment. This led to the creation of a patrician-plebeian oligarchy. At this point the rich plebeians turned their backs on the poor plebeians. The economic grievances of the poor plebeians were not addressed properly.
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∙ 11y ago
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Did the patricians force the plebeians to make changes to the Roman government by refusing to defend the city during an invasion?
No, it's the other way around. The plebeians forced the patricians to make changes by refusing to join the army.
Who represented the Plebians?
The rights of the plebeians were represented by the plebeian tribunes, the leaders of the plebeian movement Although they were not officers of state, they had the power to veto the actions of any officer of state which they deemed to be harmful to the plebeians. They also proposed bills to the plebeian council, an assembly of the plebeians where all plebeians could go to vote the bills proposed by the plebeian tribunes and elect new plebeian tribunes every year. Over time, the the laws approved in the vote of this council (plebiscites) gained the force of law which was binding on all Roman citizens, including the patricians.
What is the roman law that allowed plebeians to have a say in government?
The Roman Law is the 12 tables which the patricians (rich people) made. The laws weren't put into force though and everything stayed the same until someone changed the rules.
Why were the 12 tables needed?
The Twelve Tables came about as a result of the long social struggle between patricians and plebeians. After the expulsion of the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, the Republic was governed by a hierarchy of magistrates. Initially only patricians were eligible to become magistrates and this, among other plebeian complaints, was a source of discontent for plebeians. In the context of this unequal status, plebeians would take action to secure concessions for themselves using the threat of secession. They would threaten to leave the city with the consequence that it would grind to a halt, as the plebeians were Rome's labor force. One of the most important concessions won in this class struggle was the establishment of the Twelve Tables, establishing basic procedural rights for all Roman citizens as against one another.
How was equality given to the plebeians?
The plebeians never really achieved equality. The rich plebeians fought for access to the office of the consuls (the two annually elected heads of the republic) and the other offices of state which were created as the republic developed. They eventually succeeded and obtained power-sharing with the patricians. They were also given the status of equite (equestrian), the second highest rank in Roman society. The poor plebeians, instead, just remained poor and socially inferior.It was the result of a struggle between patricians and plebeians which lasted 200 years. It has been termed the Conflict of the Orders. The patrician aristocracy had monopolised power through what has been called the 'closing of the patriciate': it closed its ranks and excluded other elites. The conflict started with a rebellion by the poor plebeians when the patrician-controlled state refused to meet their demand to address the abuse of debt defaulters by creditors. The poor formed the plebeian movement to fight for the economic grievances of the poor. The rich plebeians, who were educated, became the leaders of the movement and used it to gain access to power. Eventually, despite bitter patrician resistance, they succeeded through many agitations and gained access to the offices of state, the senate and some priesthoods.The rich plebeians were co-opted into a patrician-plebeian oligarchy and shared power. The patrician-plebeian distinction with respect to rich plebeians, become politically irrelevant. However, a distinction of rank was maintained. The rich plebeians were given equite (cavalryman status) which was the lower order of the aristocracy. The patricians remained the higher order.It is important to be aware that this process involved only the rich plebeians. The poor plebeians, despite having been the driving force of the plebeian movement, just remained poor and their economic grievances were not addressed properly. When the rich plebeians obtained power-sharing and noble status, they turned their back on the poor. Later on, in the Late Republic, the economic plight of the poor (which was becoming worse) re-emerged as a political hot potato. A new breed of politician sympathetic to the plight of the poor emerged and assumed leadership of the (poor) plebeian movement which became militant again.The plebeians rioted and so the patricians had to give into one of the plebeians main requests. Therefore, the Laws of Twelve Tables were created and hung up in the angora for all to see. On it were twelve laws that applied to both plebeians (the common people) and patricians (the wealthy and upper class). In actuality, the plebeians and patricians never became complete equals.
Did the patricians force the plebeians to make changes to the Roman government by refusing to defend the city during an invasion?
No, it's the other way around. The plebeians forced the patricians to make changes by refusing to join the army.
What was the reason the patricians want to prevent plebeians from holding important positions?
Not all patricians were opposed to this. The conservative patricians opposed it. The liberal patricians supported it. This support helped the rich plebeians to eventually gain access to all offices of state and the priesthoods, which had been exclusively patrician. During the early republic, the patricians established themselves as a ruling class through a monopoly over the consulship and the senate. They were an aristocracy and considered themselves superior to the plebeians (commoners). They saw being in power as a privilege by birth right. Moreover, the plebeian movement started as a rebellion against the patrician-dominated state when their demands for addressing the worse aspect through which the patricians exploited poor plebeians were rejected. The patricians saw the plebeian economic grievances and demands as a threat to their profits, exploitative practices, and privilege. They also saw the rebellion as an attempt to subvert the Romans state. Eventually, with the help of the liberal patricians the rich plebeians, who were the leaders of the constantly agitating plebeian movement, were co-opted into what became a patrician-plebeian oligarchy and the rich plebeians turned their backs on the poor plebeians who had been the driving force of the plebeian movement.
Why did patricians want to prevent from holding important positions?
Not all patricians were opposed to this. The conservative patricians opposed it. The liberal patricians supported it. This support helped the rich plebeians to eventually gain access to all offices of state and the priesthoods, which had been exclusively patrician. During the early republic, the patricians established themselves as a ruling class through a monopoly over the consulship and the senate. They were an aristocracy and considered themselves superior to the plebeians (commoners). They saw being in power as a privilege by birth right. Moreover, the plebeian movement started as a rebellion against the patrician-dominated state when their demands for addressing the worse aspect through which the patricians exploited poor plebeians were rejected. The patricians saw the plebeian economic grievances and demands as a threat to their profits, exploitative practices, and privilege. They also saw the rebellion as an attempt to subvert the Romans state. Eventually, with the help of the liberal patricians the rich plebeians, who were the leaders of the constantly agitating plebeian movement, were co-opted into what became a patrician-plebeian oligarchy and the rich plebeians turned their backs on the poor plebeians who had been the driving force of the plebeian movement.
How did plebeians power?
They demanded representation in the Roman senate. When the Patricians refused, they left Rome. As they constituted the army, and the city was undefended, the Patricians had to concede and the Plebs gained one of the two Consuls each year. As ex-consuls gained a seat in the Senate, their proportion grew each year. Then they established a Plebeian Assembly from which the Patricians were excluded, so they had a majority in the Centuriate Assembly, the Tribal Assembly and their own Plebeian Assembly, each of which had separate powers which in total encompassed all powers.. When the civil wars progressed through the 1st Century BCE, the Patricians suffered heavy casualties, and ceased to exist as a political force, the title becoming honorific.
Who represented the Plebians?
The rights of the plebeians were represented by the plebeian tribunes, the leaders of the plebeian movement Although they were not officers of state, they had the power to veto the actions of any officer of state which they deemed to be harmful to the plebeians. They also proposed bills to the plebeian council, an assembly of the plebeians where all plebeians could go to vote the bills proposed by the plebeian tribunes and elect new plebeian tribunes every year. Over time, the the laws approved in the vote of this council (plebiscites) gained the force of law which was binding on all Roman citizens, including the patricians.
What is the roman law that allowed plebeians to have a say in government?
The Roman Law is the 12 tables which the patricians (rich people) made. The laws weren't put into force though and everything stayed the same until someone changed the rules.
Did the Patricians force the plebeians to make changes in the Roman government by refusing to defend the city during an invasion?
It was the other way round. It was the plebeians who refused to defend the city to force the patricians to negotiate with them when they refused to do so in the first secessio plebis (plebeian secession). Rome was not actually under attack when they did so, but in that period attacks on Roman territories by various neighbouring peoples were very frequent. They did so by leaving the city and threaten not to return unless the patricians negotiated. Their demand was for he Roman state to address the problem of indebtedness. After that they refused to join the army several times to put pressure on the state to reduce the power of the consuls (the two annually elected heads of the Republic) which was unlimited.
Why were the 12 tables needed?
The Twelve Tables came about as a result of the long social struggle between patricians and plebeians. After the expulsion of the last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, the Republic was governed by a hierarchy of magistrates. Initially only patricians were eligible to become magistrates and this, among other plebeian complaints, was a source of discontent for plebeians. In the context of this unequal status, plebeians would take action to secure concessions for themselves using the threat of secession. They would threaten to leave the city with the consequence that it would grind to a halt, as the plebeians were Rome's labor force. One of the most important concessions won in this class struggle was the establishment of the Twelve Tables, establishing basic procedural rights for all Roman citizens as against one another.
Were the twelve tables written down?
Basically, it was several issues and they all had to do with civil rights in some way. Before the written law, justice was dispensed by tradition and patrician interpretation of the laws. The patricians were the only ones who had access to the few laws that were written down. These circumstance did not please the plebeians, who were not only denied justice in most cases, but were also denied the opportunity to advance themselves. Plebeian work strikes and protests, such as leaving the city and camping out on the Advantine hill, were the methods that were used to force the patricians to cede power and to change the government by giving the plebeians more of a say.
How was equality given to the plebeians?
The plebeians never really achieved equality. The rich plebeians fought for access to the office of the consuls (the two annually elected heads of the republic) and the other offices of state which were created as the republic developed. They eventually succeeded and obtained power-sharing with the patricians. They were also given the status of equite (equestrian), the second highest rank in Roman society. The poor plebeians, instead, just remained poor and socially inferior.It was the result of a struggle between patricians and plebeians which lasted 200 years. It has been termed the Conflict of the Orders. The patrician aristocracy had monopolised power through what has been called the 'closing of the patriciate': it closed its ranks and excluded other elites. The conflict started with a rebellion by the poor plebeians when the patrician-controlled state refused to meet their demand to address the abuse of debt defaulters by creditors. The poor formed the plebeian movement to fight for the economic grievances of the poor. The rich plebeians, who were educated, became the leaders of the movement and used it to gain access to power. Eventually, despite bitter patrician resistance, they succeeded through many agitations and gained access to the offices of state, the senate and some priesthoods.The rich plebeians were co-opted into a patrician-plebeian oligarchy and shared power. The patrician-plebeian distinction with respect to rich plebeians, become politically irrelevant. However, a distinction of rank was maintained. The rich plebeians were given equite (cavalryman status) which was the lower order of the aristocracy. The patricians remained the higher order.It is important to be aware that this process involved only the rich plebeians. The poor plebeians, despite having been the driving force of the plebeian movement, just remained poor and their economic grievances were not addressed properly. When the rich plebeians obtained power-sharing and noble status, they turned their back on the poor. Later on, in the Late Republic, the economic plight of the poor (which was becoming worse) re-emerged as a political hot potato. A new breed of politician sympathetic to the plight of the poor emerged and assumed leadership of the (poor) plebeian movement which became militant again.The plebeians rioted and so the patricians had to give into one of the plebeians main requests. Therefore, the Laws of Twelve Tables were created and hung up in the angora for all to see. On it were twelve laws that applied to both plebeians (the common people) and patricians (the wealthy and upper class). In actuality, the plebeians and patricians never became complete equals.
Who would most likely be a plebeian in the Roman Empire?
The plebeians were the commoners. They were small farmers, shopkeepers, market stall holders, bakers, artisans, dockers,government clerks and the unemployed.
What changes were made in Romes government as results of demands by the plebeians?
The main changes were around the plebeian tribunes and the plebeian council which were formed by the plebeian movement in its first rebellion (the 1st plebeian secession). The council and the tribunes were recognised, but the laws voted by the plebeian council were not recognised as laws binding on all citizens, including the patricians. Eventually they were recognised as binding on all, and the plebeian tribunes became the main proposers of laws and the plebeian council the main deliberative body. The leaders of the plebeian movement gained access to all offices of state, the senate and the priesthoods. These leaders were rich plebeians who were co-opted into what became a patrician-plebeian oligarchy with the help of liberal patricians who supported this development. The rich plebeians then turned the backs on the poor plebeians who had been the driving force of the plebeian movement. The economic grievances of the poor plebeians were not addressed properly.
