Since the beginning of Oracle databases, there are 2 important roles.
Depending on the Oracle version, these roles may have changed.
If you want to know the permissions each role has, then you can execute these queries:
To check the permissions the CONNECT role has:
column role format a20
select *
from role_sys_privs
where role='CONNECT';
ROLE PRIVILEGE ADM COM INH
-------------------- ---------------------------------------- --- --- ---
CONNECT SET CONTAINER NO YES NO
CONNECT CREATE SESSION NO YES NO
And now the RESOURCE role:
column role format a20
select *
from role_sys_privs
where role='RESOURCE';
ROLE PRIVILEGE ADM COM INH
-------------------- ---------------------------------------- --- --- ---
RESOURCE CREATE SEQUENCE NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE PROCEDURE NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE CLUSTER NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE INDEXTYPE NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE OPERATOR NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE TYPE NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE TRIGGER NO YES NO
RESOURCE CREATE TABLE NO YES NO