In ancient Rome, society was distinctly stratified, with clear divisions between the elite patricians and the common plebeians. Nestled between these two prominent classes was the equestrian class, or equites. Originally emerging as cavalrymen in the Roman military, the equites evolved into a significant socio-economic group.
The Roman equestrians, or equites, were a socially significant class between patricians and plebeians, influencing politics, economy, and culture, though their power declined in the late Empire.
