Which social class in Ancient Rome was instrumental in establishing the Senate by expelling the Etruscan king?

The patricians were the social class in Ancient Rome that played a crucial role in establishing the Senate by expelling the last Etruscan king, Tarquin the Proud, in 509 BCE. This event marked the transition from monarchy to the Roman Republic. The patricians were the aristocratic families and held significant power and influence in early Roman society. They claimed descent from the founding families of Rome and were typically wealthy landowners, which positioned them favorably to dominate the political landscape of the new republic.

With the establishment of the Senate, comprised primarily of patricians, these families ensured that they could maintain significant control over Roman governance and legislation. This increased political power allowed them to shape the policies and direction of the fledgling republic, laying the foundational structures for Roman political life. The Senate would become a central institution in Rome's political system, with patricians influencing decisions and laws for centuries to come.

In contrast, the equestrian class emerged later as a distinct social group primarily engaged in commerce and governance; the plebeian class consisted of the common people who, although significant in numbers, lacked the political power initially held by the patricians. Slaves did not have any political rights or access to power and thus