patricii
Patricii, the plural of patricius, referred to the aristocratic class of ancient Rome. The term derives from patres, fathers, and originally designated the founding families who claimed descent from Rome’s earliest senators appointed by Romulus. In the early Republic, patricians monopolized political, religious, and military authority. They supplied most magistrates and dominated the Senate, and they held priestly offices such as the pontifices and flamines, which were limited to patricians.
The contrast with the plebeians—the common people—led to the conflict of the orders. This struggle yielded gradual
In the late Republic and into the Empire, the practical political power of the patricians waned as
In summary, patricii referred to Rome’s hereditary aristocracy in the Republic’s early period, characterized by exclusive