Patricians & Plebeians

     The Senate was originally a group of patricians who advised the king. Patricians were the higher class, or the noble families of Rome. In 510BC, the Romans expelled the king decreed that Rome would be a republic. In a republic, elected officials run the government. The Romans did not want to be ruled by a king.

     Soon after, the Plebeians revolted. The Plebeians were the common, or poorer people of Rome. The plebeians forced the Senate to accept their representatives, the Tribunes, into the government. By 287BC, the laws passed by the plebeians were binding for all Romans, including the patricians.

     The Senators met in the Forum, a marketplace in the valley between the seven hills that surround Rome. The Senators would rule on the military and foreign affairs, but the Tribunes protected the rights of the plebeians. When a tribune objected to a law, he would shout "veto." Veto means "I forbid" in Latin, the language of the Romans. If enough Tribunes objected, they could stop the law from passing.

Cool Link:

Investigating the Romans -- this site was produced by the BBC. make sure you take the quiz!