23　Rome Kicks Out Her Kings

In 509 B. C.something happened in Rome.There were two classes of people in Rome,just as there were in Athens：the wealthy people who were called patricians,and the poor people who were called plebeians.We use the same words now and call people who are rich and aristocratic patricians,and the people who are poor and uneducated plebeians.The patricians were allowed to vote,but the plebeians were not allowed to vote.

At last,however,the plebeians had been given the right to vote. But in B.C.Rome had a king named Tarquin.He didn't think the plebeians；should be allowed to vote,and so he said they should not.The plebeians would not stand this,and therefore they got together and drove Tarquin out of the city,as the Athenians had driven out their king.This was in 509 B.C.，and Tarquin was the last king Rome ever had.

After King Tarquin had been driven out,the Romans started what is called a republic,something like our own country,but they were afraid to have only one man as president for fear he might make himself king,and they had had enough of kings.

So the Romans elected two men each year to be rulers over them,and these two men they called consuls.Each consul had a bodyguard of twelve men.These men were given