Patricians were the people of Rome who were very wealthy and they were at the top of Roman social classes, right below the emperor and his family. They got to receive many privileges such as eating the finest foods, staying at the greatest villas, and wearing the most beautiful clothes. They also did not have to participate in some military duties as well as little to no work or responsibility.
Some other privileges that patricians had were the fact that only they could play important roles in government. Only patricians could be in the senate, consul, be a praetor, quaestor or even emperor. Even young patricians received more and better things than plebeians. During early childhood, children would get to remain home as patricians. Young patrician boys would get to receive an education from private tutors around the age of 6, and learned about subjects they were expected to know as adults. Sometimes they also got to learn subjects that would be required for the future career that they wanted to pursue. They got to learn subjects such as geography, history, literature, poetry, mythology, and sometimes, languages like Greek. Some boys who wanted to be in government or politics got to learn the subjects like law and public speaking. At the age of 12, boys would then graduate and then at the age of 14, receive a ceremony to celebrate adulthood. However, young girls on the other hand, only got to attend school with their fathers permission. Though patricians were the one of the highest classes in Ancient Rome, they weren't the nicest of people. They had slaves and they would exploit commoners and citizens as well as plebeians. Plebeians didn't like the treatment they got from the patricians, as well as the fact that they didn't get as many rights as them. Eventually, the plebeians revolted for more power, overthrowing the patricians. All of the patricians either fled the land or became plebeians of their own. Page done by Nova
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