Final answer:
Tribunes were officials elected by the Plebian Assembly to protect plebeian interests through the power of veto. Plebeians could range in occupations from farmers to artisans, and after the Struggle of the Orders, they achieved near equality with patricians, gaining the ability to pass laws and hold public office.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tribunes were critical representatives for the plebeians in ancient Rome. The plebeians responded to the tribunes' power of veto with support, as this helped protect their interests against the ruling patricians. During the Struggle of the Orders, plebeians gained significant political ground by seceding from the patrician state and subsequently winning concessions. One notable win was that after 367 BCE, one of the two consuls, the highest elected officials, had to be a plebeian, and after 287 BCE, the Plebian Assembly could pass laws for the republic through the introduction by the tribunes. These laws applied to all Roman citizens, thus enabling plebeians to ascend to elected positions and sit in the Senate, nearing equality with patricians under Roman law. The occupations of the citizens could range widely, as plebeians encompassed most of the common people, including farmers, artisans, and merchants.