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Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (also called Tarquin the Great or Tarquin II for short) was the last of the seven legendary kings of Rome, son of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, and son-in-law of Servius Tullius. Tarquin ruled between 535 BC and 510 BC, in the years immediately before the founding of the Roman Republic. Tarquin was upset that he did not inherit the throne, and to add insult to his perceived injury, Tullius was the son of a slave. With his wife's help, he summoned the Senate and proclaimed himself to be king of Rome. Henchmen then murdered Tullius and Tarquin's wife desecrated her father's body by driving a chariot over it. To further his grip on power, he orchestrated the murders of key Senators who supported Tullius, and proceeded at once to repeal the recent reforms in the constitution, seeking to establish a pure despotism in their place. Wars were waged with the Latins and Etruscans, but the lower classes were deprived of their arms, and employed in erecting monuments of regal magnificence (and some important public works, such as the Cloaca Maxima), while the sovereign recruited his armies from his own retainers and from the forces of foreign allies.
Tarquin was approached by the Cumaean Sibyl who offered him nine books of prophecy, at an exorbitant price. Tarquin refused abruptly, and the Sibyl proceeded to burn three of the nine. She then offered him the remaining books, but at the same price. Tarquin hesitated, but refused again. The Sibyl then burned three more books, but she offered Tarquin the three remaining Sibylline oracles at the original price. Tarquin accepted. The books were consulted at many portentous moments in Roman history.
Tarquin's authority over the city was confirmed by three things. First, his levelling of the top of the Tarpeian Rock that overlooked the ForumThe Roman Forum Forum Romanum was a central area of ancient Rome in which commerce, business, trading and the administration of justice took place. It is now famous for the remains, which eloquently show the use of urban spaces during the Roman Age. The t, and the removal its ancient SabineSabine (in Latin and in Italian, Sabina is a sub-region of Latium, Italy, on the North-East of Rome toward Rieti. It is named after the Sabines an ancient people that were in Latium before Rome was founded. The legend says that Romans abducted Sabine wome shrines. Second, the completion of the fortress temple to JupiterIn Roman mythology, Jupiter (Jove) held the same role as Zeus in the Greek pantheon. He was called Jupiter Optimus Maximus as the patron deity of the Roman state, in charge of laws and social order. This article focuses on Jupiter in early Rome and in cul on the nearby Capitoline HillThe Capitoline Hill Capitolinus Mons , between the Forum and the Campus Martius, is one of the famous seven hills of Rome, the site of a temple for the Capitoline Triad: the gods Jupiter, his wife Juno and their daughter Minerva. The temple was started by. Third, the fortunate marriage of his son to the daughter of Octavus Manilius of TusculumTusculum an ancient city of Latium, situated in a commanding position on the north edge of the outer crater ring of the Alban volcano, 11 miles north-east of the modern Frascati. The highest point is 2198 feet above sea-level. It has a very extensive view, an alliance that secured him powerful assistance in the field. His reign was characterised by bloodshed and violence; the outrage of his son Sextus Tarquinius upon LucretiaLucretia is a mythical figure in the history of the Roman Republic. According to Livy's version of the establishment of the Republic, the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus superbus "the proud") had a thoroughly unpleasant son, Sextus Tarquiniu precipitated a revolt, which led to the expulsion of the entire family, after Tarquin had reigned twenty-five years. After he was exiled, Tarquin attempted to gain the support of other Etruscan and Latin kings, claiming that the republicanism would spread beyond Rome. Even though the powerful EtruscanThe Etruscan civilization existed in Etruria and the Po valley in the northern part of what is now Italy, prior to the formation of the Roman Republic. The Etruscans were a non- Indo-European people who inhabited northern and central Italy before 800 BC. lord Lars PorsenaLars Porsena (sometimes spelled Lars Porsenna was an Etruscan king known for his war against the city of Rome. He ruled over the city of Clusium sometimes referred to as Clevsin. There are no established dates for his rule, but Roman sources often place i of Clusium (modern Chiusi) backed Tarquin's return, all efforts to force his way back to the throne were in vain, and he died a lonely and childless old man at Cumae in Etruria.
This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica
Ancient Romans
