Tarquinius Priscus• Lucius Tarquinius Priscus,

also called Tarquin I, was the legendary fifth King of Rome,

• said to have reigned from 616 BC to 579 BC.

• Of Etruscan origin

• Tarquinius Priscus came from the Etruscan city Tarquinii and was actually named Lucumo (that’s why he is the first etruscan king)

• On his mothers side Lucumo was Etruscan, but his father Demaratus was a Corinthian noble -> because of that he was forbidden to enter the political offices in Tarquinii

• Lucumo and his wife,the prophetess Tanaquil, moved to a new city: Rome!!• Tanaquil interpreted the omen of an eagle swooping down to place a cap

on Lucumo’s head as the gods selection of her husband as a king!• Lucumo’s name changed into Tarquinius priscus when he entered Rome

and with his wealth and behavior he made important friends, such as the king Ancus

• Tarquinius became the guardian of Ancus children• After Ancus had died, Tarquinius sent his (almost adults) boys on a hunting

trip and persuades in that time the people of Rome, that he was the best choice for a king…..

Military ability

• “…Hac parte copiarum aucta iterum cum Sabinis Tarquinius manus conserit, et victoriam magnam reportat. Montes Sabini petebant; maxima pars ab equitibus in flumen pulsa est. Bello Sabino perfecto, Tarquinius triumphans Romam rediit. Pax deinde facta est.…”

• This is a textpassage from ‘Rome and her Kings’. It shows one of Tarquinius victories…the Sabines soon attacked Rome and after he had increased the Roman cavalry, he defeated them.

• He fought many wars, which all were extremely successfully ..thus the cities Corniculum, Medullia, Nomentum or Apiolae (after the war against the Latins)became roman.

• All in all, he extended Rome’s sphere of influence by defeating the Volscii, Latini and Sabini peoples.

• He was the first to celebrate a Roman triumph, after the Etruscan fashion, in a robe of purple and gold, and borne on a chariot drawn by four horses.

FurtherFurther expansionsexpansions

• Tarquinius built a stone wall to fortify Rome• He brought new construction techniques to the city, such as the rounded

archways already in use in the Etruscan township•

• In honor of the yictory over the Latins, he started the Ludi romani

• the Cloaca Maxima (great sewers) was built to drain the Forum Romanum after a great flood

• He erected the Circus Maximus as a separate building for horse racing

• Many of the roman symbols both of war and of civil office date from his reign

Death and successor

• Tanaquil interpreted another omen for her husband which said ; “Servius Tullius would be a light to us in trouble and perplexity, and a protection to our tottering house”

• Servius was raised as their own son and he married Tarquin’s daughter

• The now adult sons of the predecessor Ancus thought the Thorne should fall to them and they arranged Tarquinius’ assassination after 38 years of reign with an axe through his head!!

• Tanaquil devised a plan:”…’Tuum est’, inquit,’Servi, si vir es, regnum. Erige te et deos duces sequere. Nunc te illa caelestis flamma excitet. Si tua, re subita, consilia torpent, at tu mea consilia sequere.’ ”(she reminds him of the omens in his infancy)

• She would deny to the public, that her husband was mortally wounded while servius would carry on as king pro-temp…till the time that the news of tarquinius dead spread, Servius was already in control. He was the first king that was not elected by the senat!

• The sons of Ancus went into

exile…

sources

• ancienthistory.about.com/cs/rome/a/aa060199.htm • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarquinius_Priscus • www.biographybase.com/biography/ Tarquinius_Priscus_Lucius.html • www.absoluteastronomy.com/ encyclopedia/t/ta/tarquinius_priscus.htm • www.google.com - images• Rome and her Kings

Tarquinius Priscus…

• Cats seem to like that name

Questions!!

• 1. What was the Etruscan fashion to celebrate a roman triumph?

• 2. Who was Tarquinius Priscus succesoor?• 3. How did my king die???• 4. How did Tanaquil, his wife, know that he could

be the next king?• 5. What animal did you see on the last slide?