What is a Roman patriction?

A Roman patrician was a member of a social class. At the beginning of the city the patricians were the wealthy landowners and had complete control of the government. Because of this early authority, power and wealth the patricians have the reputation for being the super rich. However, this was not always the case, as over the years many patrician families lost their wealth. Julius Caesar and Lucius Sulla are two men who were patrician but their families were not wealthy. Sulla, in fact, was impoverished for most of his youth.