Of plebeian origins, the Herrenii have risen to wealth only recently, due to Spurius's father's luck of finding iron and gold deposits in what was sold to him as a small quarry in Ilva (today's st Elba), when Spurius was but a small child.

Seen as nothing but nouveau riche by most of the Patricians, the Herrenii have had to struggle to find their way into the Roman high society, and even more to secure a place in the Senate of the Republic.

Such rejection has turned Herrenius into a strong populist and a firm opposer of higher class, and shall certainly affect the way he wishes Roman politics to turn.