Tarquinius Superbus: the tyrannical last king of Rome

Tarquin the Proud was the son or grandson of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of Rome.

His rise to power was marked by cunning and ruthless ambition. Tarquin conspired with his wife, Tullia, to orchestrate the murder of her father, Servius Tullius, the sixth king of Rome.

The assassination allowed Tarquin to seize power and instate himself as king.

As king, Tarquin the Proud displayed traits of an autocrat, consolidating power and suppressing dissent.

He was known for his harsh and cruel rule, which led to widespread resentment among the Roman people.

Under his reign, the Senate was diminished in power and influence, and aristocrats were executed or exiled to maintain his control.

Tarquin's most infamous act was the construction of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, which was built using forced labor and exorbitant taxes on the Roman citizens.

This temple, however, did have a lasting impact on Roman religious architecture and served as a testament to Rome's growing power and influence in the region.

The turning point of Tarquin's reign came with an attack on a virtuous Roman noblewoman, by his son Sextus Tarquinius.

This story has become known as the 'Rape of Lucretia'.

The story of the Rape of Lucretia, as recounted by the Roman historian Livy, begins with a group of young Roman noblemen who were stationed at the siege of Ardea, a neighboring city.

During a dinner party, they began to debate the virtues of their wives. In an effort to settle the argument, they decided to return to Rome to observe their wives' behavior.

Among them was Sextus Tarquinius, the son of Tarquin the Proud.

Upon their arrival, they found Lucretia, the wife of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, diligently working at her loom while the other wives were engaging in leisurely activities.

Impressed by her virtue, Sextus Tarquinius later returned to her home and physically assaulted her, threatening to kill her and a slave if she resisted, and then claim they were caught in adultery.

Following the assault, a devastated Lucretia summoned her father, Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus; her husband, Collatinus; and their close friends, including Lucius Junius Brutus, to inform them of the heinous act committed by Sextus Tarquinius.

She made them swear an oath to avenge her, and then, consumed by grief and shame, took her own life.

The death of Lucretia served as a catalyst for the rebellion against Tarquin the Proud and the Roman monarchy.

Lucius Junius Brutus, who was both a close friend of Collatinus and a distant relative of Tarquin, seized the opportunity to rally the Roman people against the tyrannical rule of the king.

He used the tragic event to illustrate the moral corruption of the royal family and the need for change in the Roman government.

With the support of the Roman people, Brutus and Collatinus led a successful revolt that expelled Tarquin the Proud and his family from Rome.

In the wake of the rebellion, the monarchy was abolished, and the Roman Republic was established in 509 BC.

The Senate appointed Brutus and Collatinus as the first consuls of the new republic, marking the beginning of a new era in Roman history.

After his expulsion from Rome in 509 BC, Tarquin the Proud sought the support of foreign powers to regain his throne.

Initially, he turned to the Etruscan city of Veii, which was Rome's rival at the time. He persuaded the Veientes to support his cause, leading to a conflict known as the Battle of Silva Arsia.

However, the Roman forces, led by the newly appointed consuls Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, were able to repel the invaders and maintain the new Roman Republic.

Still determined to regain his throne, Tarquin sought help from Lars Porsena, the king of the Etruscan city of Clusium. Porsena led an invasion against Rome, which resulted in a series of battles and skirmishes.

Although Porsena managed to capture the Janiculum hill, he was unable to take the city.

In the end, Porsena agreed to a peace treaty with Rome, but rather than reinstating Tarquin as king, he only demanded the return of the land that had been taken from Veii.

Having failed to regain his throne with the help of Porsena, Tarquin sought refuge with his son-in-law, Octavius Mamilius, in the Latin city of Tusculum.

From there, he continued his efforts to regain power by inciting a Latin revolt against Rome.

This led to the Battle of Lake Regillus in 498 BC, where the Latin forces, led by Mamilius and supported by Tarquin, faced the Roman army led by the dictator Aulus Postumius Albus.

Once again, the Roman forces emerged victorious, and Tarquin's hopes of regaining power were crushed.

After these failed attempts, Tarquin the Proud eventually sought refuge in the city of Cumae, located in modern-day southern Italy.

There, he lived out the remainder of his days under the protection of the tyrant Aristodemus.

Tarquin is believed to have died in exile in Cumae around 495 BC, never having succeeded in his efforts to regain his throne.

His death marked the end of the Roman monarchy and solidified the Roman Republic as the new form of government for Rome.

Though Tarquin's reign was marked by despotism and cruelty, his influence on the development of Rome cannot be ignored.

Tarquin the Proud, despite his tyrannical rule and the injustices committed during his reign, played a significant role in shaping the history of Rome.

The end of his rule brought about the birth of the Roman Republic and its values, which would have a lasting impact on the world for centuries to come.

The construction of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus contributed to Rome's growing reputation and its architectural and religious heritage.

Additionally, the fall of the monarchy under Tarquin's rule paved the way for the Roman Republic, which would eventually lead to the rise of the Roman Empire.

Though Tarquin's actions were undoubtedly negative, the consequences of his reign have proven to be both transformative and pivotal in the annals of Roman history.