Lucius Tarquinius the Proud was the seventh and last king of Ancient Rome. His reign lasted from 534 to 509 BC. The end of the rule of Tarquinius was put by a popular uprising, which led to the establishment of a republic. In the sources that tell about the events of that era, facts are intertwined with legends. Tarquinius the Proud is considered the son of the fifth king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus. He gained the throne by assassinating his predecessor. The reign of Lucius Tarquinius has been described as a tyranny that led to the abolition of the monarchy.
Bloody Conspiracy
After the death of Tarquinius Priscus, the husband of one of his daughters, Servius Tullius, came to power. In order to prevent claims to the throne from the sons of the previous king, he tried to bring them closer to him. Servius Tullius gave his eldest daughter in marriage to the heir to the throne Lucius, the youngest - to his brother Arun. However, this attempt to create blood ties led to sad consequences. The ambitious and ambitious youngest daughter named Tullia felt that Arun was too indecisive and would not start a fight for royal power in the future. A conspiracy arose between her and Lucius. They killed their spouses and married each otheragainst the will of the monarch.
Rise to power
Tullia, unhappy that her father reigned too long, persuaded Lucius to overthrow him and usurp power. The patricians and senators were opposed to the monarch. In order to enlist the support of the aristocrats, Lucius presented them with expensive gifts and criticized the policies of Servius Tullius. Having waited for the right moment, he came to the Senate building with a group of armed supporters, sat on the throne and delivered a speech. Lucius declared that Servius Tullius occupied the throne illegally. In addition, he accused his father-in-law of neglecting the interests of the upper class of society. When Servius Tullius arrived at the senate with the intention of expelling the impostor, Lucius threw him down a stone staircase. On the street, the king was killed by supporters of Tarquinius. Tullia hurried to the senate to be the first to honor her husband as a monarch and on the way ran over the dead body of Servius Tullius with her chariot. The street where this atrocity took place was named "Criminal".
Board
Tarquinius the Proud began his reign by refusing to properly bury Servius Tullius. The new monarch then ordered the execution of a number of senators whom he suspected of being loyal to his predecessor. Contrary to tradition, Tarquinius single-handedly pronounced death sentences, without resorting to advisers. This created a general fear. No one dared to object to the king.
Tarquinius the Proud not only reduced the size of the Senate through repressions and executions, but also stoppedconvene it to discuss state affairs. He deceived the patricians and did not fulfill his promise to return to them the privileges taken away by Servius Tullius. The plebeians also felt the weight of the new king's rule. He taxed them at arbitrary rates and reinstated the sale into slavery for non-payment of debts. Lucius Tarquinius surrounded himself with lictors (bodyguards who, if necessary, performed the duties of executioners). Numerous spies reported to the king about people hostile to him. Those suspected of unreliability were executed or expelled, their property confiscated. The patricians, who at first counted on the return of their privileges, gradually understood who Tarquin the Proud was. In ancient Rome, he ruled like a Greek tyrant, maintaining power with the help of a detachment of loyal bodyguards.
Foreign policy
Tarquinius the Proud used despotic methods, but the power of the state during the years of his reign reached unprecedented heights. There was an increase in the power of Rome over the Latin cities by destroying the recalcitrant and arranging political marriages. Tarquinius gave his daughter in marriage to one of the influential rulers of this region. With the help of a new relative, the king convinced the Latins to recognize the authority of Rome.
Tarquinius undertook an aggressive campaign in the lands of the freedom-loving Volscians. He managed to conquer some of their cities. On the occupied territory, Tsar Tarquinius the Proud founded two colonies: Signia and Circe. This war marked the beginning of the confrontation between the people of the Volscians and Rome, whichlasted about two centuries.
Construction
An integral part of the biography of Tarquinius the Proud is his huge contribution to the improvement of the Eternal City. He sought to make Rome a worthy capital of his kingdom and spared no expense for this. Lucius Tarquinius completed the construction of the temple of Jupiter, begun by his father. He built a sewer, which consisted of a network of underground drains. However, despite the presence of significant military booty, there was not enough money for the implementation of grandiose projects. The king forced the plebeians to work on construction or pay special taxes to finance it.
The Story of Lucrezia
In 509 BC, Tarquinius the Proud organized a military campaign against the Rutul people. He hoped to seize their rich lands and thereby replenish his treasury. The Romans failed to take Ardea, the capital of the Rutuli, by storm. The king decided to besiege the city and force its defenders to capitulate. However, the rutuli stubbornly did not want to give up, and the confrontation dragged on.
According to legend, during this campaign of conquest, one of the sons of Tarquinius named Sextus, leaving the camp of the Roman army, came to the house of his cousin and raped his wife Lucretia, who was known for her exceptional virtue. She could not bear the dishonor and committed suicide. Relatives swore over the dead body of Lucretia to expel the king and his family from Rome.
Overthrow
Abuse of power, executions of senators and burdensome taxes created dissatisfaction with the rule of Tarquinius among all classes of society. Both the patricians and the plebeians were filled with indignation when the relatives of Lucretia brought her body to Rome and told about the atrocity committed by the king's son Sextus. A popular assembly was convened, which decided to deprive Tarquinius of power and expel him. The king's wife, Tullius, hurriedly left the city, fleeing the general wrath. The citizens of Rome decided to establish a republican form of government and elect two consuls who would share power.
Exile and death
Having learned about the uprising, Tarquinius left the camp of the troops besieging Ardea. The king tried to return to Rome, but the inhabitants did not let the deposed tyrant into the city. He was forced to go into exile with his sons. In total, Tarquinius the Proud ruled Rome for 26 years. After his overthrow, the monarchy was abolished, and the state turned into a republic that lasted for several centuries. The former king died in exile in the Greek city of Kumah.
