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During the Roman Republic, nobilis ("noble," plural nobiles) was a descriptive term of social rank, usually indicating that a member of the family had achieved the consulship. Those who belonged to the hereditary patrician families were noble, but plebeians whose ancestors were consuls were also considered nobiles. Since transition to nobilitas thus required the rise of a non-noble individual to the consulship, who was considered a "new man" (novus homo).