Patrician

Definition: The patricians were the upper class of Rome. They were probably originally relatives of the patres 'fathers', the heads of the families of the old tribes of Rome. The old patricians were thought to have been divided into 3 tribes, Tities, Luceres, and Ramnes. Each tribe consisted of 10 curiae. Patricians lost privileges over time, but patrician status and parentage remained necessary for the confarreatio type of marriages, ceremonial positions, and ancient priestly functions, including the vestal virgins.

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