patrician

patrician
patricianhood, patricianship, n.patricianism, n.patricianly, adv.
/peuh trish"euhn/, n.
1. a person of noble or high rank; aristocrat.
2. a person of very good background, education, and refinement.
3. a member of the original senatorial aristocracy in ancient Rome.
4. (under the later Roman and Byzantine empires) a title or dignity conferred by the emperor.
5. a member of a hereditary ruling class in certain medieval German, Swiss, and Italian free cities.
adj.
6. of high social rank or noble family; aristocratic.
7. befitting or characteristic of persons of very good background, education, and refinement: patrician tastes.
8. of or belonging to the patrician families of ancient Rome.
[1400-50; < L patrici(us) patrician (pat(e)r FATHER + -icius adj. suffix) + -AN; r. late ME patricion < OF patricien]
Syn. 7. dignified, genteel, stately.

* * *

In ancient Rome, any member of a group of citizen families who, in contrast to the plebeians, formed a privileged nobility.

They attempted to hold on to magistracies, priesthoods, and legal and religious knowledge, and the great civil struggle of the Roman republic was the effort of the plebeians to achieve equality and break the patrician monopoly. Gradually the patricians lost their monopoly
except in a few areas, such as selected priesthoods and the office of interrex
and in the late republic (1st century BC) the distinction lost political importance. After 27 BC, patrician rank was necessary for ascent to the imperial throne. After Constantine's reign (AD 337), the term became an honorary title with no particular power.

* * *

Latin  Patricius,  plural  Patricii,  

      any member of a group of citizen families who, in contrast with the plebeian (q.v.) class, formed a privileged class in early Rome.

      The origin of the class remains obscure, but the patricians were probably leaders of the more important families or clans who formed the major part, if not all, of the Senate of the primitive period, as well as the families from whom were drawn the most distinguished part of the early cavalry. They constituted an early nobility of birth. At what stage they hardened into a clearly defined and exclusive caste is uncertain, but the effort by King Servius Tullius to register all citizens in regional tribes and in classes arranged according to wealth helped to codify the distinction between patrician and plebeian. Also the development of the Assembly of the Centuries from a military to a political body gave the wealthier plebeians an influential vote in elections and legislation. After the expulsion of the kings, who may have been some check on patrician control, the patricians attempted to keep sole possession of magistracies, priesthoods, and legal and religious knowledge; there was even a prohibition against intermarriage with plebeians in the law of the Twelve Tables. The great struggle of the republic was the continued effort of the plebeians to achieve political equality, to secure economic relief for their poorer members, and to break the political and religious monopoly of the patricians. Gradually the plebeians were fairly successful. Toward the end of the early republic, patricians retained exclusive control only of some old priesthoods, the office of interrex, or interim head of state, and perhaps that of princeps senatus, or senate leader. In the late republic (i.e., to the 1st century BC) distinctions between patricians and plebeians lost political importance; some patricians became plebeians by adoption.

      During the empire (after 27 BC), patrician rank was a prerequisite for ascent to the throne, and only the emperor could create patricians. Necessary for the continuation of ancient priesthoods, patricians had few privileges other than reduced military obligations. After Constantine's reign (306337), patricius became a personal, nonhereditary title of honour, ranked third after the emperor and consuls, but the title bestowed no peculiar power.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Patrician — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Patrician es una serie de videojuegos de PC, desarrollados por Ascaron. Es un simulador de comercio marítimo en tiempo real por ciudades el norte de Europa, como Londres, Hamburgo, Oslo, Lubeck y otras ciudades,… …   Wikipedia Español

  • patrician — PATRICIÁN, Ă, patricieni, e, subst. 1. s.m. şi f. (În Roma antică) Membru al comunităţii gentilice, iar mai târziu al aristocraţiei gentilice, care se bucura de toate drepturile şi privilegiile; patriciu (2); p. gener. nobil, senior, aristocrat.… …   Dicționar Român

  • Patrician — Pa*tri cian, a. [L. patricius, fr. patres fathers or senators, pl. of pater: cf. F. patricien. See {Paternal}.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) Of or pertaining to the Roman patres (fathers) or senators, or patricians. [1913 Webster] 2. Of, pertaining to, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patrician — [adj] upper class aristocratic, blueblooded*, gentle, grand, highborn, high class, noble, royal, wellborn; concepts 334,549 Ant. common, lower class patrician [n] person born to upper class aristocrat, blue blood*, gentleperson, noble,… …   New thesaurus

  • Patrician — Pa*tri cian, n. [L. patricius: cf. F. patricien.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) Originally, a member of any of the families constituting the populus Romanus, or body of Roman citizens, before the development of the plebeian order; later, one who, by right of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • patrician — (n.) early 15c., member of the ancient Roman noble order, from M.Fr. patricien, from L. patricius of the rank of the nobles, of the senators, from patres conscripti Roman senators, lit. fathers, plural of pater father (see FATHER (Cf. father)… …   Etymology dictionary

  • patrician — *gentleman, aristocrat …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • patrician — ► NOUN 1) an aristocrat. 2) a member of the nobility in ancient Rome. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to or characteristic of aristocrats; upper class. ORIGIN Latin patricius having a noble father , from pater father …   English terms dictionary

  • patrician — [pə trish′ən] n. [ME patricion < MFr patricien < L patricius < patres, senators, lit., fathers, pl. of pater,FATHER] 1. in ancient Rome a) a member of any of the ancient Roman citizen families b) later, a member of the nobility: opposed… …   English World dictionary

  • Patrician — The term patrician originally referred to a group of elite families in ancient Rome, including both their natural and adopted members. In the late Roman empire, the class was broadened to include high court officials, and after the fall of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Patrician 3 — Infobox VG title= Patrician III: Rise of the Hanse caption= developer= Ascaron publisher= Encore distributor= designer= series= Patrician engine= version= released= flagicon|World October 24, 2003 genre= RTS modes= Single player /Multi player… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
https://universalium.en-academic.com/168869/patrician Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”