twelve miles from the river. It was not materially increased during
the next two centuries.

The original founders of Rome and their direct descendants were called
PATRICIANS, i. e. belonging to the _Patres_, or Fathers of the
families. They formed a class distinct from all others, jealously
protecting their rights against outsiders. Attached to the Patricians
was a class called CLIENTS, who, though free, enjoyed no civil rights,
i. e. they had no voice in the government, but were bound to assist in
every way the Patrician, called PATRON, to whom they were attached. In
return, the latter gave them his support, and looked after their
interests. These clients corresponded somewhat to serfs, worked on the
fields of their patrons, and bore the name of the _gens_ to which
their patron belonged. Their origin is uncertain; but they may have
come from foreign towns conquered by the Latins, and whose inhabitants
had not been made slaves.

In addition to the clients there were actual slaves, who were the
property of their masters, and could be bought or sold at pleasure.
Sometimes a slave was freed, and then he was called a LIBERTUS
(freedman) and became the client of his former master.

As Rome grew into commercial prominence, still another class of people
flocked into the city from foreign places, who might be called
resident foreigners, corresponding in general to the _Metics_ at
Athens. Such were many merchants and workmen of all trades. These all
were supposed to be under the protection of some patrician who acted
as their patron.

These three classes, clients, slaves, and resident foreigners, were