<P> Patricians historically had more privileges and rights than plebeians . At the beginning of the Republic, patricians were better represented in the Roman assemblies, only patricians could hold political offices, and all priesthoods were closed to non-patricians . There was a belief that patricians communicated better with the Roman gods, so they alone could perform the sacred rites and take the auspices . This view had political consequences, since in the beginning of the year or before a military campaign, Roman magistrates used to consult the gods . Livy reports that the first admission of plebeians into a priestly college happened in 300 BC, when the college of Augurs raised their number from four to nine . After that, plebeians were accepted into the other religious colleges, and by the end of the Republic, only priesthoods with limited political importance, such as the Salii, the Flamines, and the Rex Sacrorum were filled exclusively by patricians . </P> <P> Very few plebeian names appear in lists of Roman magistrates during the early Republic . Two laws passed during the fourth century BC began the gradual opening of magistrates to the plebeians: the Lex Licinia Sextia of 367 BC, which established the right of plebeians to hold the consulship; and the Genucian Law of 342 BC, which required that at least one of the consuls be a plebeian (although this law was frequently violated for several decades). </P> <P> Many of the ancient patrician gentes whose members appear in the founding legends of Rome disappeared as Rome acquired its empire, and new plebeian families rose to prominence . A number of patrician families such as the Horatii, Lucretii, Verginii and Menenii rarely appear in positions of importance during the later republic . Many old families had both patrician and plebeian branches, of which the patrician lines frequently faded into obscurity, and were eclipsed by their plebeian namesakes . </P> <P> The distinction between patricians and plebeians in Ancient Rome was based purely on birth . Although modern writers often portray patricians as rich and powerful families who managed to secure power over the less - fortunate plebeian families, plebeians and patricians among the senatorial class were equally wealthy . As civil rights for plebeians increased during the middle and late Roman Republic, many plebeian families had attained wealth and power while some traditionally patrician families had fallen into poverty and obscurity . </P>

What was the role of a patrician in ancient rome