Constantinople and the Town Councils

The east had its share of mega wealthy men, but the balance was not quite as skewed. Senators were now ranked in three classes, or grades, largely based on wealth with illustrious grades at the top and Clarissimi at the bottom. Only men of the highest grade could now actually sit in the Senate in Constantinople while those of the lower grade were forced to remain resident in their provinces. The local elite out in the provinces would be made up of private landowners, members of the provincial town councils, representatives of the provincial governor, and the leading clergy. Below the wealthy were everybody else. As it had always been, Byzantine society was fairly static, and the inheritance of your parents' jobs was