<P> In the Roman Kingdom and the early Roman Republic the most important division in Roman society was between the patricians and the plebeians . The patricians were a small elite whose ancestry was traced to the first Senate established by Romulus , who monopolised political power . The plebeians comprised the majority of Roman citizens ( see below ) . Adult males who were not Roman citizens , whether free or slave , fall outside this division . Women and children were also not citizens , but took the social status of their father or husband , which granted them various rights and protections not available to the women and children of men of lower rank . </P>
<P> In the Roman Kingdom and the early Roman Republic the most important division in Roman society was between the patricians and the plebeians . The patricians were a small elite whose ancestry was traced to the first Senate established by Romulus , who monopolised political power . The plebeians comprised the majority of Roman citizens ( see below ) . Adult males who were not Roman citizens , whether free or slave , fall outside this division . Women and children were also not citizens , but took the social status of their father or husband , which granted them various rights and protections not available to the women and children of men of lower rank . </P>
who formed the highest social class of republican and early imperial rome
who formed the highest social class of republican and early imperial rome
patricians
patricians