Answer:
In response to the question: According to Ward, what obstacles might have limited voting among Romans, one significant barrier was identified: voting had to occur within the plebeian tribunes and in the popular assemblies, which were located in Rome and not elsewhere. Many plebeians were unable to afford the journey to Rome, which rendered them incapable of voting.
Explanation:
This clarification is provided in an article by Allen M. Ward published in the New England Classical Journal in 2004. The title of the article is "How Democratic Was the Roman Republic," aiming to illustrate that conventional views about Rome being a pure democracy and as a model for others are misguided. Ward argues that while the Republic's foundation was inspired by democratic principles from Greece, the reality was that most of these concepts were tied to lineage, wealth, and status. Though there was an impression that citizens had power through civic engagement in assemblies, the actual scenario was quite different. One significant barrier mentioned by Ward in his article that challenged the voting system—which was supposedly representative of democracy—was that the assemblies for voting were only held in Rome, and since most plebeians lived outside of the city, they could seldom afford to travel there. Consequently, a considerable number of plebeians could not participate in voting, thus lacking a voice in the political decision-making.
