What is the main idea of Roman society?

Answer 1

Do you need this for your homework or are you just curious about that question? Well here is the answer though. Social Class in Rome

This introduction to Social Class and Structure in Rome is by no means exhaustive but it does give a flavour of what the class structure was like in ancient Rome. There were four main classes of person in Rome: the Aristocracy known as "Patricians", the common folk known as "Plebeians", the slaves and finally the free men who came into Rome to conduct business known as "Clients".

The diagrams below give some insight into how social class in Rome and the interraction between classes changed with time. Further insight can be had into Roman social class by understanding what we mean by "Romans" and how the definition of what it was to be Roman and the distinction between classes changed with time.

A fundamental element of Roman society was the clear distinction of position and roles between the different social classes, at least in the early days. This distinction was underlined in numerous ways, for example access to positions within the army, priesthood, public offices (cursus honorum), in roman clothing and even the seats you might be allowed to occupy at the circus and public games.

Not surprisingly the first century AD was not only accompanied by a new form of rule but also with shifting social balances. For example, increasing numbers of plebeans were making careers in the Roman army, liberti were winning increasing power and wealth and Roman women were gaining increasing independence. A particularly emblematic moment was during the reign of Nero when the emperor created and partly implemented a new model of rule and a new vision of Roman society which overturned traditional barriers, for example having upper class patricians and women exhibit themselves at the public exhibitions: something severely condemned by upper class contemporaries and later generations (for obvious reasons perhaps).