Roman World

     The patricians were the upper class, the nobility and wealthy land owners. A wealthy plebeian family and a wealthy patrician family did not meet socially. Under the kings, it was illegal for a plebeian and a patrician to marry. Later on, a new law was written that said it was no longer illegal for plebeians and patricians to marry. Patrician women spent their days pampering themselves. On a daily basis, they would most likely get their nails and hair done. Or buy new expensive clothes and jewelry. They usually had enough money to hire a slave to take care of all the work they had to do in their homes.

     The plebeians were pretty different from the patricians. The plebeian people were all the other people in Rome, besides the patricians. Many plebeians lived in apartment houses called flats. Some the apartments were above or behind their shops. Their own apartments might be quite roomy, sanitary and pleasant, sometimes with running water. But others were not that nice. In the poorer apartment houses, an entire plebeian family would all be crowded into one room, without running water. They had to bring their water in from places that were public. Fire was a threat because people were cooking meals in very crowded rooms, and most of the apartments were made of wood. They did not have toilets, so they would, well had to use public toilets. The plebeians might have bread, dry or dipped in wine, and water for meals. Plebeian women would do all the house chores and teach their daughters what to do around the house and how to do them. 

Video about Roman government: http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/romanrepublic/