city unless their wrongs were redressed. This is called the First
Secession of the Plebs, and is said to have been in 494.

The patricians and richer plebeians saw that concessions must be made,
for the loss of these people would be ruin to Rome. Those in debt were
released from their obligations, and the plebeians received the right
to choose annually, from their own numbers, two officers called
TRIBÚNI PLEBIS, who should look after their interests, and have the
power of VETOING any action taken by any magistrate in the city. This
power, however, was confined within the city walls, and could never be
exercised outside of them.

The person of the Tribunes was also made sacred, to prevent
interference with them while in discharge of their duties, and if any
one attempted to stop them he was committing a capital crime. Thus, if
the Consuls or Quaestors were inclined to press the law of debt to
extremes, or to be unjust in the levying of troops, the Tribunes could
step in, and by their VETO stop the matter at once.

This was an immense gain for the plebeians, and they were justified in
giving the name of SACRED MOUNT to the hill to which they had seceded.

The number of Tribunes was afterwards increased to five, and still
later to ten.




CHAPTER VII.