Class in Ancient Rome 100 BCE–100 CE
The Roman population in 100 BCE was divided into citizens and noncitizens. Citizens had military duties,
but only they could vote and participate in government. Citizens were divided socially according to wealth
and ancestry. The Senatorial Order consisted mainly of wealthy patricians (the old aristocracy). Plebeians
were descended from poorer families. By c. 300 BCE, plebeians could become magistrates and senators,
but only a small number achieved this rank. A new bourgeoisie (the Equestrian Order) developed in the
second century BCE. Women did not have citizenship but shared the class of their husband or father.
Resident foreigners and slaves were denied the status and rights of citizenship.
CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILIES
a
Senatorial Order
Senators and their families had wealth and high
social status. Senators were committed to public
life and by law could not be involved in
commerce. Many accumulated wealth from
war booty and large country estates. In the
army, they took the role of commander (a). They
lived in large houses and owned many slaves.
Their wives took charge of household slaves
and the children’s upbringing.
b
Equestrian Order
During the second century BCE, this cavalry
group of the early republic came to represent
the wealthy banking and commercial classes (b).
Equites could become jurors and they served as
officers in the army. They lived luxuriously and
owned many slaves. Their wives sometimes
helped to run the family business.
Plebeians
This large class of mainly poorer citizens included
educated freedmen, shopkeepers, artisans,
agricultural workers (c), and the unemployed.
Plebeians had the vote and those who could
afford weapons served as legionaries. Some
more wealthy plebeians became magistrates
and senators. Most plebeians remained poor,
however, owning few, if any, slaves. Plebeian
wives worked hard helping their husbands and
bringing up children.
c
NONCITIZENS
Resident Foreigners
(peregrini)
Aliens from places outside
Roman territory had no
political rights but were
required to pay taxes. They
rarely became citizens, and
then only by special decree.
Aliens were usually traders.
Some were wealthy and
owned slaves. Some served
as auxiliaries in the army.
Slaves
Many slaves were prisoners
of war. Free-born children
cast out by their
parents could become
slaves. Slaves usually were
not allowed to enlist in the
army. Freeing slaves
(manumission) became
common. Freedmen could
become citizens and some
freedmen became wealthy.