What does equestrian mean in ancient Rome?

Answer 1

The ordo equester (equestrian order) was the order of cavalrymen/knights (equites). The words equester and equite were derived from equus (horse). This order was the second highest rank in Roman society and the lower tier of the aristocracy (the upper tier were the patricians). Originally they were only the members of the cavalry. Later it became mainly an order of money lenders, bankers, merchants and investors in shipping or mining. This was a result of the Conflict of the Orders, where the rich plebeians fought for power-sharing with the patrician aristocracy which monopolised the senate and the executive offices of state. Eventually, the rich plebeians (who were mainly entrepreneurial people) succeeded in obtaining power-sharing and access to the executive offices of state and the seats of the senate. By the Mid-Republic, they were co-opted into a patrician-plebeian oligarchy and this was sealed by giving then equestrian rank. Giving them this rank enabled the senate and the senatorial order (people eligible to the senate) to retain its aristocratic character. To be an equite you also needed to meet a property threshold for eligibility to the order.

Answer 2

An equestrian is a person who works with horses. They might be a rider or trainer.