Final answer:
The major social classes in ancient Rome were the patricians and plebeians, with the patricians being the aristocratic elite and the plebeians being the common people working towards equality in Roman society. There were also other classes such as the equites and slaves.
Step-by-step explanation:
In ancient Rome, the major social classes were the patricians and plebeians. The patricians were the aristocratic elite and held public office and sat in the Senate, while the plebeians were the common people who worked towards achieving equality before the law. Over time, the differentiation between these two classes became less pronounced.
Additionally, there were other classes such as the equites (knights) and slaves. The equites were the equestrians or the business class of Roman society, while slaves were at the bottom of the social system and had limited legal rights.