Conflict Of The Orders

By History And Culture Media

2/17/2024

The Conflict of the Orders: How Plebeians Gained Political Rights in Ancient Rome

Introduction: What Was the Conflict of the Orders?

The Conflict of the Orders was a prolonged social and political struggle in the Roman Republic between the patricians (aristocratic elite) and the plebeians (commoners). Spanning from 494 BCE to 287 BCE, this internal class conflict was pivotal in shaping the Roman constitution. Through nonviolent resistance, political negotiation, and social unity, the plebeians gradually gained equal civil rights, legal protections, and access to high offices, transforming Rome into a more inclusive republic.

Background: Patricians vs. Plebeians

In early Republican Rome, society was sharply divided:

Patricians: Wealthy, land-owning aristocrats who claimed ancestral privilege. Controlled religion, politics, and the law.
Plebeians: Farmers, artisans, laborers, and merchants. The majority of the population, but lacked legal and political power.

Despite their numbers, plebeians were excluded from most magistracies, the Senate, and religious priesthoods. They were also subject to debt bondage, arbitrary justice, and lacked the ability to appeal legal decisions.

Key Events in the Conflict of the Orders

1. First Secession of the Plebs (494 BCE)

Rome faced internal and external crises.
Plebeians withdrew to the Sacred Mount, refusing to fight in wars unless granted rights.
Result: Creation of the Tribunes of the Plebs, officials who could veto actions harmful to plebeians and protect their interests.

2. The Twelve Tables (451–450 BCE)

To end legal abuses, laws were written down and publicly displayed.
The Law of the Twelve Tables became Rome’s first written legal code, giving plebeians access to consistent justice.

3. Second Secession of the Plebs (449 BCE)

Triggered by abuse of power by the decemviri, a panel of 10 lawmakers.
Resulted in the restoration of tribunes and the reaffirmation of plebeian rights.

4. Lex Canuleia (445 BCE)

Allowed intermarriage between patricians and plebeians, breaking down strict class divisions.

5. Lex Licinia Sextia (367 BCE)

Required that one of the two consuls be plebeian, granting plebeians access to the highest executive office.

6. Opening of Major Offices (300–287 BCE)

Plebeians gained the right to hold positions such as:
- Praetor (judicial officer)
- Censor (in charge of census and public morality)
- Pontifex Maximus (chief religious priest)

7. Lex Hortensia (287 BCE)

Ended the Conflict of the Orders.
Declared that laws passed by the Plebeian Council (plebiscita) were binding on all Roman citizens, including patricians.
Removed the need for patrician approval of plebeian legislation.

Impact and Legacy of the Conflict

1. Political Equality

The plebeians secured equal legal and political rights.
All Roman citizens now had a voice in lawmaking and access to high office.

2. Strengthened the Republic

Institutional reforms prevented aristocratic tyranny and reinforced the mixed constitution of the Republic (magistrates, Senate, and assemblies).

3. Social Integration

Helped unify Roman society by bridging the class divide.
The plebeian-patrician struggle became a model of peaceful civic reform.

4. Foundation for Future Conflict

Although the struggle ended formally, new social divisions arose, such as the emergence of the nobiles (elite plebeian-patrician class).
Set the stage for later tensions between the optimates and populares during the late Republic.

Conclusion

The Conflict of the Orders (494–287 BCE) was a transformative chapter in Roman history. Through secession, legal reform, and persistent advocacy, the plebeians reshaped the Roman Republic into a more equitable system. The conflict's resolution not only empowered the Roman citizenry, but also laid the groundwork for Rome’s political stability and expansion in the centuries to come.