The people of Ancient Rome Roman homes Slaves in Rome
Roman education Marriage in Ancient Rome
The people of Ancient Rome Patricians
Plebeians
The patricians were the wealthy noble families who ruled Rome. They had huge estates and hundreds of slaves. They controlled the Roman government and army.
Patricians served in the Senate, were military generals or governors of Rome’s provinces.
Men wore a toga (a long white robe draped over the shoulder and down to the feet), and women wore a stola (a long dress).
A patrician house in a town was called a domus and in the countryside was a villa.
The plebeians were the poor, who made up the vast majority of the population. They farmed, worked in trades and served in the army.
They were given a dole payment of free grain so that they would support the rule of the patricians.
Plebeian men wore a tunic to their knees and women wore a plain stola.
Some plebeians became quite wealthy through trade and business and were known as equites. They had money but no political power.
Most plebeians lived in apartment blocks called insulae. Women, both patrician and plebeian, were citizens but unable to vote or take part in public life. 51
