The establishment of Republic in Pomegranate, probably in 509 a. a., caused that the political power remained in the hands of the patricians. The strengthening of the Senate and the exercise of executive power by magistrates reproduced the exclusion of commoners from Roman political life. This political exclusion and economic exploitation resulted in numerous social conflicts in Rome, opposing patricians and commoners.
The commoners were a social group composed of artisans, merchants and peasants, who thus constituted the vast majority of the Roman population. With the development of society and the enrichment of the patricians, the commoners began to organize themselves to try to overcome the social situation in which they lived. Countless plebeian rebellions took place in the Republic. Let's get to know some of the most important ones?
The fact that Roman society was at constant war with its neighbors led the patricians to call on the commoners to be soldiers in their armies. In addition, taxes collected from commoners increased, guaranteeing the wealth of the patricians. On the other hand, the indebtedness of many commoners increased, which led to a change in their social situation, becoming slaves to their creditors. Aware of their military importance and seeking to overcome political exclusion and economic exploitation, the commoners decided to rebel.
In 494 BC a., the plebeians retired towards one of the seven of Rome, the Aventino mount, refusing to defend the city while they were not ceded political rights to them. Knowing that they could not defend themselves without the participation of the commoners, the patricians decided to give in to pressure and created the Concilium Plebis, O Tribunate of the Commons.
O Concilium Plebis was formed by two magistrates (tribunes) representing the commoners, who had the power to veto or oppose the decisions of the consuls and the Senate that could harm the commoners. If a decision were vetoed, it could no longer be put into effect. In 471 a. a., the number of plebeian magistrates increased to ten. Its function was also to receive complaints from commoners who felt wronged, which made their houses open to those who sought them.
But the plebeian rebellions did not end when the Concilium Plebis. In 450 BC C., after new revolts, the patricians decided to institute the Law of the Twelve Tables. This measure aimed to transform into written laws laws that were previously transmitted and known only orally. It was the first code of law written in Rome and was written by ten jurists, known as decenvirs. The written law made it difficult for the patricians to interpret the laws according to their convenience, thus constituting a victory for the commoners.
Another achievement of the commoners with the Law of the Twelve Tables was the end of debt slavery. But instead of making the lives of commoners better, the written laws ended up favoring the Republic of patricians, the great landowners and the great merchants, who continued to exploit the commoners.
New laws emerged as a result of social conflicts between patricians and commoners. In 445 BC C., by the Canuleia Law, the marriage between patricians and commoners was legalized. In 367 a. C., with the Licinian Laws, it was made possible for the plebeians to share the conquered lands, and it was further established that one of the consuls would be of plebeian origin.
They were also able to form their own assemblies, deciding on matters of interest to them. From 287 a. C., the decisions of the plebeian assemblies would become laws, giving rise to the term plebiscite.
Despite greater political participation and less social distinction, economic differences, between rich and poor, and also the military, between high-ranking officers and soldiers, kept up. Gradually the richest layer of the commoners, the nobles, began to assimilate to the poorest strata of the patricians. In this way, the Tribunes of the Plebe ended up coming closer to the patrician interests than to the commoners.
By Tales Pinto
Master in History
