ABSTRACT
This chapter deliberates pay only little attention to the elements of cohesion between elites and plebeians although these were certainly present in Roman society as the focus lies on what empowered the lower strata vis-a-vis the elites. It considers the theories of Scott to claim that independent information-gathering and discussion were possible for the plebeians. The chapter begins with concepts of Bourdieu, notably 'habitus' and 'distinction', to offer an analysis of political discourse in the Late Republic and the variations between the plebs urbana and the elites. It addresses the possibilities of the subaltern to express specific political claims or grievances. The conception of these particular issues was inspired by plebeian interpretations of and discussions about politics, and when groups decided to act on them, this can be defined as plebeian agency. The chapter claims that, often, scholars should focus on rare occasions of disobedience or subversion.
