The society of the ancient Romans has often been considered the basis of our modern society. When we think of Roman society, images of grand villas and senators wearing togas come to mind. Additionally, Roman society is often associated with grand parties and extravagance among the wealthy. However, there is more to Rome than these symbols and classical Roman society is one with a complex history that spans the history of the ancient city and involves family, home, education and much more. The social structure of ancient Rome was based on heredity, property, wealth, citizenship and freedom. It also revolved around men: women were defined by the social status of their father or husband. Women were expected to take care of the houses and very few of them had any real independence. The three main social classes in ancient Rome were the Patricians, the Plebeians, and the slaves. The Patricians were the wealthy Romans and for them, life was good. They lived in beautiful houses – often in the hills outside of Rome, far from the noise and smells. They enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle with luxurious furnishings, surrounded by servants and slaves to fulfill their every desire. Many hosted exclusive dinners and served their guests the exotic dishes of the day. Many Patricians were powerful government or military leaders. The Plebeians belonged more to the poor group of Romans and the poorer Romans, however, could only dream of such a life. In the middle of the city, they lived in dirty, dilapidated houses that could collapse or burn at any moment. If times were tough, they would sometimes abandon their newborns on the street, hoping that someone else would take them in as servants or slaves. Poor in wealth but strong in numbers, they constituted the Roman crowd, who relaxed over the popular entertainments of the time, the chariot races between opposing teams or the gladiators fighting for their lives, their glory and their fortune. Although their lives may have been different, they had things in common. In all Roman family life, the head of the family was a man. Even though his wife took care of the household, he controlled it. Only he could own property. He alone decided the fate of his children and the person they would marry. The ancient Romans were known for having slaves and everyone, including people from the lower classes, had at least one slave..