The next gain made by the plebeians was the annual appointment from
their own ranks of two officers, called AEDILES. (Footnote: The word
"Aedile" is derived from _Aedes_, meaning temple.) These officers held
nearly the same position in reference to the Tribunes that the Quaestors
did to the Consuls. They assisted the Tribunes in the performance of
their various duties, and also had special charge of the temple of
Ceres. In this temple were deposited, for safe keeping, all the decrees
of the Senate.
These two offices, those of Tribune and Aedile, the result of the
first secession, were filled by elections held at first in the Comitia
Centuriata, but later in an assembly called the COMITIA TRIBUTA, which
met sometimes within and sometimes without the city walls.
This assembly was composed of plebeians, who voted by "tribes"
(_tributa_, meaning composed of tribes), each tribe being entitled to
one vote, and its vote being decided by the majority of its individual
voters. (Footnote: These "tribes" were a territorial division,
corresponding roughly to "wards" in our cities. At this time there were
probably sixteen, but later there were thirty-five. The plebeians in the
city lived mostly in one quarter, on the Aventine Hill.)
The Comitia Tributa was convened and presided over by the Tribunes and
Aediles. In it were discussed matters of interest to the plebeians.
By it any member could be punished for misconduct, and though at first
measures passed in it were not binding on the people at large, it
presently became a determined body, with competent and bold leaders, who
were felt to be a power in the state.
The aim of the patricians was now to lessen the power of the Tribunes;
that of the plebeians, to restrain the Consuls and extend the influence
of the Tribunes. Party spirit ran high; even hand to hand contests
occurred in the city. Many families left Rome and settled in neighboring
places to escape the turmoil. It is a wonder that the government
withstood the strain, so fierce was the struggle.
The AGRARIAN LAWS at this time first become prominent. These laws had
reference to the distribution of the PUBLIC LANDS. Rome had acquired a
large amount of land taken from the territory of conquered cities. This
land was called AGER PUBLICUS, or _public land_.
Some of this land was sold or given away as "homesteads," and then it
became AGER PRIVATUS, or _private land_. But the most of it was occupied
by permission of the magistrates. The occupants were usually rich
patricians, who were favored by the patrician magistrates. This land, so
occupied, was called AGER OCCUPATUS, or _possessio_; but it really was
still the property of the state. The rent paid was a certain per cent
(from 10 to 20) of the crops, or so much a head for cattle on pasture
land. Although the state had the undoubted right to claim this land at
any time, the magistrates allowed the occupants to retain it, and were
often lenient about collecting dues. In course of time, this land, which
was handed down from father to son, and frequently sold, began to be
regarded by the occupants as their own property. Also the land tax
(TRIBUTUM), which was levied on all _ager privatus_, and which was
especially hard upon the small plebeian land-owners, could not legally
be levied upon the _ager occupatus_. Thus the patricians who possessed,
not owned, this land were naturally regarded as usurpers by the
plebeians.
The first object of the AGRARIAN LAWS was to remedy this evil.
SPURIUS CASSIUS, an able man, now came forward (486?), proposing a law
that the state take up these lands, divide them into small lots, and
distribute them among the poor plebeians as homes (homesteads). The law
was carried, but in the troublesome times it cost Cassius his life, and
was never enforced.