Final answer:
The Patricians were a wealthy, land-owning upper class in ancient Rome, who held major political power and often joined with wealthy plebeians, which allowed them to maintain control over the government and overshadow the rights of the lower classes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patricians were the affluent, land-owning class in Roman society who wielded significant influence in politics, often overshadowing the legal rights of plebeians due to their wealth and power. Initially, patricians were the only ones who could hold public office and sit in the Senate. However, over time, the political landscape shifted, allowing well-off plebeians to gain power and effectively creating a new aristocracy.
Despite legal concessions, such as the right to representation and lawmaking, the issues persisted. Wealthy plebeians frequently aligned with patricians, reinforcing the elite class's dominance over common citizens. Economic factors, like land ownership and the ability to serve in unpaid state offices, played a role in their continuous political power.
Patricians, therefore, represent that wealthy, powerful elite that maintained a tight grip on Roman politics and the judiciary, often at the expense of the poorer classes. Their influence extended to the Centuriate Council, where richer classes had more voting power, and they utilized their wealth and social connections to remain at the top of the societal hierarchy.