proletarii

The term "proletariat" refers to the lowest economic and social class in a society. In ancient Rome, this class consisted of poor, landless freemen, including artisans and small tradesmen who had been impoverished by the expansion of slavery. The proletariat, meaning "producers of offspring," played a role in political struggles but was largely dependent on the state for sustenance through "bread and circuses".1

In Marxist theory, the proletariat are wage workers in industrial production, selling their labor power. This class was often in poverty due to their subordinate position in capitalist societies. The term is distinct from "working class," which is broader and includes all who must work for a living.1