Secessio

(Latin, from secedo,“I leave”), in ancient Rome, the formal withdrawal of the plebeians beyond the city limits to the Mons Sacer or the Aventine. The secessions were a unique way of opposing the patricians. The plebeians formed the bulk of the Roman army, and thus their withdrawal left the city virtually defenseless. Although tradition claims five secessions—in 494, 449, 445, 342, and 287 B.C-the authenticity of the first secessions and the accuracy of the dates traditionally accepted in historiography have been called into question.