CLEP Western Civ I

Answer: C - In Ancient Rome, plebeians were common citizens and patricians were the elite aristocracy. Both classes were able to vote, but, originally, only patricians could attain the highest government offices, like consulships. In the legislative bodies there were more seats for patricians, so, by sticking together, they could exert a collective power over the government that the plebeians simply could not overcome. However, plebeians were able to achieve increased civil rights in the middle to later period of the republican era.