Roman Grievances Analysis

Ancient Rome, consistent of two main classes of people, that is the aristocratic Patricians and the Plebeians. The plebeians were the majority of the population being in the lower economic range than the patricians and slightly above the slaves of Rome. They mainly consisted of soldiers, artisans, shopkeepers, peasants and laborers. The wealthy patricians ruled Rome, made laws that favored them excluding the plebeians from having rights to vote or participate in government ruling thereby disadvantaging them and causing untold grievances. The grievances were both economic and political and led the lower class plebeians to revolt against the aristocratic rule of the patricians. Initially the plebeians and the patricians were united in one cause
The plebeians could not vote neither could they own land whereas the patricians could serve in the army but by virtue of being in the upper social class, paid no taxes and yet owned land. Since the plebeians were forced into military service, their neglect of farms forced many into poverty and mounting debts. When they fell into debt, sentence in the courts was severe forcing the debtors into servitude to their creditors including being thrown into
The plebeians realizing that were not protected by their government from debt and debt-slavery they took matters in their own hands and began to desert the army and leave the patricians to fight their own battles after all they (plebeians) did not profit from the land spoils of war. The plebeians, who powered most the economy as shopkeepers, farmers etc. shut down their shops, farms, production centers and left the city. This halted the economic activity whilst the plebeians set camp on a hill they called “sacred mount” with a view to form an independent city (Morey, 1901). This marked the first revolt of the plebeians and the patricians finally conceded that the loss of the plebeian army would be the ultimate destruction of Rome. This forced the patricians to concede to a solemn agreement that all debt to insolvent people be cancelled and that those imprisoned over debt should be released. The cardinal result of this secession was the creation of representative office for the plebeians. Two officers were elected to oversee the political desires of the plebeians, ‘veto Consular decisions acting as safe guard to patrician political power’. (Rennebohm, 2009). The plebeian meetings held previously, were now formalized into an