a title given, amongst the ancient Romans, to the descendants of the hundred, or, as some will have it, of the two hundred, senators chosen by Romulus, and by him called patres, or fathers. Romulus established this order after the example of the Athenians, who were divided into two classes, viz. the aristoi, patrici, and plebeios, populares. Patricians, therefore, were originally the nobility, in opposition to the plebeians. They were the only persons whom Romulus allowed to aspire to the magistracy; and they exercised all the functions of the priesthood till the year of Rome 495. But the cognizance and character of these ancient families being almost extinguished by a long course of years, and frequent changes in the empire, a new kind of patricians afterwards arose, who had no pretensions from birth, but whose title depended entirely upon the emperor's favour. This new patriciate, Zozimus tells us, was established by Constantine, who conferred the quality upon his counsellors, not because they were descended from the ancient fathers of the senate, but because they were the fathers of the republic or of the empire. This dignity in time became the highest of the empire. Justinian calls it summa dignitas. In effect, the patricians seem to have had the precedence of the consulars, and to have taken precedence of them in the senate; though Faber asserts the contrary. What confounds the question is, that the two dignities often met in the same person; because the patriciate was only conferred upon those who had gone through the first offices of the empire, or had been consuls. Pope Adrian made Charlemagne assume the title of patrician before taking that of emperor; and other popes have given the title to other kings and princes by reason of its eminence.