The first plebeians to hold the office of tribune were Caius Licinius Stolo and Lucius Sextius. They were elected in 367 BC and served for ten years. During their term of office, they introduced a number of important reforms that improved the lives of the plebeians, including the Licinio-Sextian laws, which limited the amount of land that could be owned by a single individual and also gave the plebeians the right to hold certain religious offices.
After Stolo and Sextius, many other plebeians were elected to the office of tribune. Some of the most famous tribunes include:
- Gaius Gracchus, who was elected in 123 BC and served for two terms. He introduced a number of reforms that were designed to help the poor and the landless, but he was eventually killed by a group of senators.
- Tiberius Gracchus, who was elected in 133 BC and served for one term. He also introduced a number of reforms, but he was also killed by a group of senators.
- Publius Clodius Pulcher, who was elected in 58 BC and served for one term. He was known for his outspoken criticism of the Roman elite and for his efforts to protect the rights of the poor.
The office of tribune of the plebs was a vital institution in the Roman Republic and played a key role in protecting the interests of the plebeians.