Thursday, 17 November 2016

A quick overview on Roman Social Classes


Written by Lucia (Lexie Okelly)
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So you want to be a noble?
You want...
* Power
* Riches
* Fame
* Wonderful clothes
* Own property
* Own Land
* Own Slaves
* Be part of a family
* Vote if you are male


...well the good news is that you do not have to be a noble (Senatorial patrician) to be this. The majority of roman citizens were not from the noble class (Senatorial patricians) but from the plebeian class. 
Nowadays the word Pleb is used as a derogatory term but it wasn't quite like that in ancient times. It is a fallacy that all plebeians where poor. They were not - some could be immensely rich  - and they and the lower ranking nobles made up a group called the Equites - richer that some down at heel nobles. The plebeian class covers from ultra rich to very poor, so we don't want people to dismiss it because it is a very rich seam for rp. 
To quickly clarify the social classes which are split like this:

- Senators (patricians)
- Equites (patrician and Rich Plebs)
- Plebs (the common citizens of Rome)
- Slaves (born slaves and those captured and occasionally a debtor slave from one of the first threes classes)
There are divisions with in those categories which we will elaborate on at a later date.
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How to become part of already existing family here in Pompeii?
We do not have influence over personal family groups so to become part of a family here in Pompeii requires some effort on your part. When you want to be part of a current family living in Pompeii you need to personally speak to the family members of that particular family about joining in. Sim Admins and Moderators have no control over whom private families recruit so you need to be active yourself.
Take initiative to contact the families you see on the sim around same times that you are online to speak to them about joining and possible role within the family that would be available.

What if you do not want to be part of a family?
Nothing forces you to belong to a family. You can be single plebian practicing some profession to earn your coin, Be creative and if needed search background info through the internet about the time era we roleplay here (80 BC.).
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Disclaimer: All our articles are meticulously researched. However some of the content has been condensed, compiled and simplified for RP purposes on our sim specifically focusing on this point in the roman Late Republic period. 
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