ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Novus homo

Okay kiddo, so back then in ancient Rome, there were two types of people: the patricians and the plebeians. The patricians were the rich people, and the plebeians were the poor people. The patricians had all the power, and the plebeians didn't have much say in anything.

But then one day, a plebeian became really successful and rich. His name was called a "novus homo," which means "new man" in Latin. This was a big deal because it meant that someone who wasn't rich to begin with could still achieve success and become powerful in society.

It was like if you and your friends were playing a game, and only one friend always won because they had all the fancy toys. But then, suddenly, you worked really hard and saved up your allowance to buy the best toy ever, and now you can win too! You'd be a "novus homo" in your own little game world.

So basically, "novus homo" is a term that was used in ancient Rome to describe someone who wasn't born rich but became successful and powerful anyway. It showed that anyone could make something of themselves with hard work and determination, no matter where they started.