{"id":4521,"date":"2023-04-04T18:09:56","date_gmt":"2023-04-04T17:09:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/?p=4521"},"modified":"2023-04-04T18:09:56","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T17:09:56","slug":"were-nobles-called-aristocrats-in-ancient-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnancientrome.com\/were-nobles-called-aristocrats-in-ancient-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"Were nobles called aristocrats in ancient rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The word “aristocrat” is derived from the Greek word aristos, meaning “the best.” In ancient Rome, the aristocrats were the patrician class, who were considered the best in society. The aristocrats held the most important political and religious offices, and their opinion was the most respected.<\/p>\n

There is no definitive answer to this question as there is no agreed upon definition of what constitutes an aristocrat. However, some historians do use the term ‘aristocrat’ to refer to the upper class of ancient Rome.<\/p>\n

What were aristocrats called in ancient Rome? <\/h2>\n

In Roman society, the aristocrats were known as patricians and the highest positions in the government were held by two consuls, or leaders, who ruled the Roman Republic. A senate composed of patricians elected these consuls and at this time, lower-class citizens, or plebeians, had virtually no say in the government.<\/p>\n

The patrician class was a group of citizen families who were privileged in comparison to the plebeian class in early Rome. These families had more power and influence than the average citizen, and they were often wealthier as well.<\/p>\n

Is an aristocrat a noble <\/h3>\n