Initially, two states developed in Rome: patricians and plebeians. They were completely different social groups. The struggles between them for political and civil equality led to further social divisions.
In the 2nd century BCE, a new state was formed – equites. In the hierarchy, it was in second place, i.e. between patricians and plebeians. The equites benefited from the exploitation of the province, which threatened the interests of the aristocracy. Therefore, in the second century BCE, there was a serious conflict between the equites and the aristocracy. During this conflict, a new group emerged – noblemen. They were born of the senatorial aristocracy and were the most influential layer in the state. It was mainly this social strata, seeking influence and wealth, that pushed the Roman state to expand.
