The Early Republic, Conflict Between Classes,

and the Twelve TablesApril Myers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Republic

Start of the Republic Romans abolished monarchy in 509

B.C. Romans then established a republic,

a government in which citizens elected representatives to rule.

Republic was ruled by two consuls, elected annually by a senate of patricians.

Patricians and Plebeians Patricians were upper class. Plebeians were lower class. Plebeians had virtually no say in

government. Classes were strictly separated.

http://schoolworkhelper.net/roman-society-patricians-merchants-artisans-slaves/

Conflict of the Orders Eventually, plebeians began to demand

more rights. 494 B.C.-First Secession of the Plebs:

Plebeians established own assembly (Concilium Plebis) and began electing their own magistrates (Tribunes and Plebeian Aediles).

450 B.C.-TheTwelve Tables: First time laws of Roman Republic were written down.

Conflict of the Orders (cont)

445 B.C.-Classes permitted to intermarry.

367 B.C.-Consuls could be plebeians. 342 B.C.-Law passed making it

mandatory that one of two consuls was a plebeian.

300 B.C.-Half of priesthoods must be plebeian.

287 B.C.-All laws passed in Concilium Plebis applied to whole Roman state.

The Twelve Tables Created after plebeians threatened to secede in

494 B.C. Highlights:

Table I-When someone is accused of a wrongdoing, both accuser and accused must be present for trial.

Table III-Debtors get 30 days to pay off a debt. After that, creditor can seize debtor and make him/her his prisioner.

Table IV-A person’s will is binding. Table VIII-Lists punishments for specific crimes. Table IX-Specifies capital punishment for

judges who have taken bribes and for people who have committed treason.

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/mrjennings/sets/1352195/

Bibliography Raaflaub, K. A. (2008) The Conflict of the Orders in Archaic

Rome: A Comprehensive and Comparative Approach, in Social Struggles in Archaic Rome: New Perspectives on the Conflict of the Orders, Expanded and Updated Edition (ed K. A. Raaflaub), Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Malden, MA, USA.

Erskine, A. (ed) (2009) Bibliography, in A Companion to Ancient History, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, UK.

. N.p.. Web. 21 Apr 2013. <http://www.ushistory.org/civ/6a.asp>.

McManus, Barbare. N.p.. Web. 21 Apr 2013. <http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/orders.html>.

White, D.. N.p.. Web. 21 Apr 2013. <http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/twelvetables.htm>.