The Twelve Table Research Paper

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Recommended: The political system of Republic Rome

The Roman republic created two different “social classes” or orders, the plebeians and patricians. The Plebeians were made of everyone that was not in an aristocratic family, so it was a large population of a variety of people. The plebeians had their own assembly, so they were a part of the three assemblies that were able to “make legislation, conduct elections and render consuls” (Hunt 155) The plebeians wanted to be heard and they were with the creation of the twelve tables. They wanted more equality and it was fair to grant them that much. The producing of the Twelve Tables was to have a certain set of rules to abide by. If anyone disobeyed these laws, there were going to be consequences. Each table has its own grouping, children, women, death and wills. Created to protect themselves and their land. Clearly states what will happen if a crime …show more content…

Roman society in this time was constantly changing, creating new government systems and changing the world of politics from what it was before. The creation of the tables was created at a great time where there was much openness to change. It was also during a time where certain things were acceptable that no longer would be, for example in table IV “A dreadfully deformed child shall be quickly killed.” Is no longer accepted in society today. The selling of children also mentioned in table IV again shows that during that time many things were different. Ownership was a big deal and apparently a problem for them to create many laws based on it. Since the Plebeians were against the Patricians I think that in table XI when it states that “Marriages should not take place between plebeians and patricians.” It was added after the original ten either for safety and to simply state it or there was a marriage or possible one

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