Tarquinius Proud: origin and photo

Lucius Tarquinius Proud was the seventh and last king of Ancient Rome. His reign lasted from 534 to 509 years BC. The end of the rule of Tarquinia led to a popular uprising that led to the establishment of the republic. In the sources that tell about the events of that era, the facts are intertwined with legends. Tarquinius the Proud is considered the son of the fifth king of Rome Tarquinius Prisca. He received the throne by killing his predecessor. The rule of Lucius Tarquinia is described as a tyranny, which served as the reason for the abolition of the monarchy.

Bloody plot

After the death of Tarquinius Priscus, the husband of one of his daughters, Servius Tullius, came to power. In order to prevent the pretensions to the throne from the sons of the previous king, he tried to bring them closer to himself. Servius Tullius gave his eldest daughter in marriage to the heir to the throne Lucius, the younger - for his brother Arun. However, this attempt to create blood ties led to sad consequences. An ambitious and ambitious younger daughter named Tullia considered that Arun was too indecisive and would not begin in the future a struggle for royal power. A conspiracy arose between her and Lucius. They killed their spouses and married each other against the will of the monarch.

Rise to power

Tullia, unhappy that her father reigned too long, persuaded Lucius to overthrow him and usurp power. Patricians and senators were opposed to the monarch. In order to enlist the support of aristocrats, Lucius presented them with expensive gifts and criticized the policy of Servius Tullius. After waiting for the right moment, he came to the Senate building with a group of armed supporters, sat on the throne and made a speech. Lucius said that Servius Tullius illegally occupies the throne. In addition, he accused his father-in-law of neglecting the interests of the upper class of society. When Servius Tullius arrived in the Senate with the intention of driving out the impostor, Lucius threw him off the stone stairs. In the street of the king, the supporters of Tarquinia were killed. Tullia hurried to the Senate to pay homage to her husband as a monarch, and Serviia Tullia, the dead body, drove along the road with her chariot. The street on which this crime took place was called "Criminal".

Governing body

Tarquinius the Proud began his reign with the refusal to properly bury Servius Tullius. Then the new monarch ordered the execution of a number of senators, whom he suspected of loyalty to his predecessor. Contrary to tradition, Tarquin alone carried out the death sentences without consulting the advisers. This gave rise to general fear. Nobody dared to object to the tsar.

Tarquinius the Proud has not only reduced the size of the senate through repression and executions, but has ceased to convene it to discuss state affairs. He deceived the patricians and did not fulfill his promise to return to them the privileges seized by Servius Tullius. The plebeians also felt the weight of the reign of the new king. He taxed them in arbitrary amounts and restored the sale of slavery for non-payment of debts. Lucius Tarquinius surrounded himself with lictors (bodyguards, if necessary, performing the duties of executioners). Numerous spies reported to the tsar about people hostile to him. Suspected of unreliability were executed or expelled, their property was confiscated. Patricians, who at first counted on the return of their privileges, gradually realized who Tarquin proud was. In ancient Rome, he ruled as a Greek tyrant, holding power with the help of a group of faithful bodyguards.

Foreign policy

Tarquinius the Proud used despotic methods, but the power of the state in the years of his reign reached unprecedented heights. There was an increase in the power of Rome over the Latin cities by destroying unruly and organizing political marriages. Tarquin gave his daughter to marry one of the influential rulers of this region. With the help of a new relative, the king persuaded the Latins to recognize the power of Rome.

Tarquinius undertook an aggressive campaign in the lands of freedom-loving wolves. He managed to conquer some of their cities. On the conquered territory, the king Tarquinius Proudly founded two colonies: Signia and Circe. This war initiated the confrontation between the people of Wolski and Rome, which lasted about two centuries.

Building

An integral part of the biography of Tarquinius the Proud is his enormous contribution to the improvement of the Eternal City. He sought to make Rome a worthy capital of his kingdom and did not spare any money for it. Lucius Tarquin brought to the end the construction of the temple of Jupiter, started by his father. He built a sewer system, consisting of a network of underground gutters. However, despite the existence of significant military production, there was not enough money to implement grandiose projects. The king forced the plebeians to work on construction or pay special taxes to finance it.

History of Lucretia

In 509 BC Tarquinius the Proud organized a military campaign against the people of the Rutul. He hoped to seize their rich lands and at the expense of this to replenish their treasury. The Romans did not manage to storm the capital of the Rutul Ardeus by storm. The king decided to besiege the city and force his defenders to capitulate. However, the rutuls stubbornly refused to give up, and the confrontation dragged on.

According to legend, during this aggressive campaign, one of the sons of Tarquinia, Sextus, left the camp of the Roman army, went to his cousin's house and raped his wife Lucretia, who was known for her exceptional virtue. She did not suffer dishonor and committed suicide. Relatives vowed over the dead body of Lucretia to expel the king and his family from Rome.

Overthrowing

Abuses of power, executions of senators and burdensome taxes created discontent with the rule of Tarquinia among all classes of society. Both the patricians and the plebeians were imbued with indignation when the relatives of Lucretia brought her body to Rome and told about the atrocities committed by the son of King Sextus. A people's assembly was convened, which decided to deprive Tarquinia of power and expel it. The wife of King Tullia hastily left the city, fleeing from the general wrath. Citizens of Rome decided to establish a republican form of government and elect two consuls, who will share the power.

Exile and death

Upon learning of 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, Tarquin proudly ruled Rome for 26 years. After its overthrow, the monarchy was abolished, and the state became a republic that existed for several centuries. The former king died in exile in the Greek city of Kumah.