Final answer:
The patricians, an elite group of wealthy landowners, controlled the Roman Senate and exerted significant influence over the government by managing the Plebeian Assembly and Centuriate Assembly, where wealth equated to voting power. The equestrian class also held power as they became the business class of Rome. Despite plebeian gains in representation, the aristocracy maintained dominant control over Roman politics and the state's resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rich Landowners and the Roman Senate
In ancient Rome, the ruling class was made up of patricians, who were wealthy families with ancient lineages. As the most influential group, they held the majority of seats in the senate and shaped foreign and domestic policies. These patricians, along with other affluent landowners, sought to control the Plebeian Assembly, ensuring their continued dominance over the less wealthy plebeians.
The Centuriate Assembly was a crucial body that could declare war and elect important officials, including military commanders and judges. This assembly was structured in a manner that favored the wealthy, as voting power was distributed based on the ability to finance military equipment, allowing richer citizens to have more influence.
Eventually, the influence of the equestrians, who were wealthy people that could afford horses for the cavalry, expanded as they formed an essential business class in Rome. Despite concessions to plebeians over time, the reality of Roman politics was dominated by the wealthy, who managed to maintain superiority and control the government, often aligning with equestrian interests. The Senate's power in Rome was unparalleled, as it controlled financial decisions and had significant sway over legislative and administrative actions of the Republic and later the Empire.