patrician class
Ancient Rome's nobility
The patrician class is the hereditary aristocracy of a society, originally Rome's elite families who monopolized political and religious offices.
By extension, any upper stratum distinguished by birth, wealth, and social privilege: The patrician class dominated city politics for generations.
The term often implies inherited status rather than earned position.
- optimatesRoman aristocratic political faction
- patriciansHereditary ruling class
- aristocracyRule by hereditary elite
- gentryHighborn but not noble
- landed gentryLandowning class living on rents
nobility · blue blood · noble birth · ancient lineage · patronage systems · oligarchy · senate · gens · lineage · upper echelon · high culture · elite · old guard · social register · estate ownership · hereditary rulers · upper class · heraldry
patrician classplebeians
Roman lower classes
commoners · lower class · working class · peasantry · proletariat
patrician classlowborn
Of humble origin
common stock · baseborn · humble origins · common folk · ordinary citizens