But the senate refused to sanction this proposal, and ten years elapsed ere it was carried into effect--years of vehement strife between the orders, and variously agitated moreover by wars and internal troubles.

With equal obstinacy the party of the nobles hindered the concession of the law in the senate, and the plebs nominated again and again the same men as tribunes.

Attempts were made to obviate the attack by other concessions.

In the year 297 an increase of the tribunes from four to ten was sanctioned--a very dubious gain; and in the following year, by an Icilian -plebiscitum- which was admitted among the sworn privileges of the plebs, the Aventine, which had hitherto been a temple-grove and uninhabited, was distributed among the poorer burgesses as sites for buildings in heritable occupancy.

The plebs took what was offered to them, but never ceased to insist in their demand for a legal code.
At length, in the year 300, a compromise was effected; the senate in substance gave way.