Answer:
male lineage
Step-by-step explanation:
In Ancient rome men had the power over his wife and kids and they dominated the family. Also, the father's lineage and ancestry was what defined the position in the social hierarchy. So, according to this, the answer is that until the second century B.C.E., roman classes were defined according to male lineage as the father had the most important role and later this was challenged and women and children became more independent.