Because the aristocratic families of ancient Rome did not want a government dominated by a single ruler, they overthrew the king to avoid losing their power and founded the Roman Republic in 509 BC. In this new government , the The idea was that an entire community of people took part in government. Although it was supposed to include all citizens, it was dominated by the patricians: the elite, nobility, and upper class of Rome, with the plebeians (anyone who was a patrician) bringing up the rear. Structurally, this government was composed of patricians, who would occupy the highest positions in the government, such as consuls and senators, and the plebeians, with less say in governmental matters and barred from holding political office, were members of an assembly, of done by choosing the aforementioned consuls from the Senate, leaving most of the benefits of this structure to the patricians. The patricians, who constituted the nobility and elite of ancient Rome, were able to hold the highest positions in the government. The highest among these were the consuls. Every year two consuls were chosen to administer the government and lead the Roman army into battle (The Roman Republic p 117). These consuls were chosen by the Senate, a group of 300 elected patricians. The consuls remained in Rome unless there was an emergency, in which case they would resign and assign a dictator with unlimited powers to lead the state. The consuls would have the power to use as much public money as they wanted, as well as bring foreign ambassadors to the Senate, call meetings, and make proposals on matters that might require the people's authorization. The consuls had all the power, with all the other tribunes under them and following orders. Following...... middle of the sheet...... the first formal codification of Roman laws and customs." (The Roman Republic p. .119) Eventually, with the publication of these laws, plebeians and patricians were able to marry each other and the division between the two groups was lessened. Although the government of the Roman Republic was beneficial to all parties involved, it was very advantageous to the upper class and elite. The patricians had more say, as they occupied the highest positions in government offices, while the plebeians, at first, were prohibited from holding any positions in the government Although they could vote for the officials of the offices public, had little say in anything else, until they decided it was too much and eventually formed their own assemblies and tribunes, writing their own laws and allowing mixed marriages and eventual plebeian placement in the consulate (La Repubblica Romana p. 119)