Everything about Tarquinius Priscus totally explained
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, also called
Tarquin the Elder or
Tarquin I, was held by ancient tradition to be the fifth
King of Rome, said to have reigned from
616 BC to
578 BC. His wife was
Tanaquil.
According to
Livy, Tarquinius Priscus came from the
Etruscan city of
Tarquinii. Livy claims that his first name
Lucius was a Latinization of his original Etruscan name
Lucumo, but since
lucumo (
Etruscan lauchme) is the Etruscan word for "king", there's reason to believe that Priscus' name and title have been confused in the official tradition. Disgruntled with his opportunities in Etruria, he migrated to
Rome with his wife
Tanaquil, at her suggestion. He had been prohibited from obtaining political office in Tarquinii because of the ethnicity of his father,
Demaratus the Corinthian, who came from the
Greek city of
Corinth. On his arrival in Rome in a
chariot, an eagle took his cap, flew away and then returned it back upon his head. Tanaquil, who was skilled in prophecy, interpreted this as an
omen of his future greatness.
In Rome he attained great respect through generosity and skill. King
Ancus Marcius himself noticed him and adopted him as his son, also appointing him guardian of his other sons. After the death of Ancus Marcius, Tarquinius Priscus was able to convince the
People's Assembly that he should be elected king over Marcius' natural sons.
His military ability was immediately tested by an attack from the
Sabines. The attack was defeated after dangerous street fighting in Rome, and he then further subjugated the Etruscans. Thus the cities
Corniculum,
Firulea,
Cameria,
Crustumerium,
Americola,
Medullia and
Nomentum became Roman. After each of his wars, which were always extremely successful, he brought rich plunder to Rome. He doubled the size of the Centuriate Assembly to 1800 people, and added another hundred men to the Senate from the ranks of the lower classes. Among them was the family of the
Octavii.
He also concerned himself further with state festivals and with the expansion of the state. At first he erected the
Circus Maximus as a separate building for horse racing. Previously the spectators watched the races between the
Aventine and
Palatine hills sitting on wooden platforms at best. From then on large games were regularly organized there.
After a great flood, the damp lowlands of Rome were drained by the construction of the
Cloaca Maxima (great sewer) to create a site for the
Forum Romanum. As his last great act he began the construction of a temple in honour of
Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the
Capitoline Hill, partially funded by plunder seized from the
Latins and
Sabines. Many of the Roman symbols both of war and of civil office date from his reign, and he was the first to celebrate a
Roman triumph, after the
Etruscan fashion, wearing a robe of purple and gold, and borne on a chariot drawn by four horses.
Meanwhile the now adult sons of his predecessor Ancus Marcius thought that the throne should fall to them. Thus they arranged for Tarquinius Priscus to be
assassinated with an axe blow to the head. Thanks to the intelligent foresight of the queen
Tanaquil however, the sons of Ancus were not chosen, but rather Tarquinius' son-in-law
Servius Tullius was elected as his successor. Tarquinius reigned for 38 years.
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