-Tarquin Dynasty
-Tarquin Priscus (Tarquin the Elder) - 5th king
-Decent, but manipulative.
-From Tarchna (also known as Tarquinia), Etruria (west coast of Italy).
-Half Etruscan, half Greek.
-Became a wealthy businessman, but opportunity was limited due to his mixed racial heritage.
-He moved to Rome, brought a lot of money, and put this money into public works and charity to establish himself as a major player.
-Became friendly with Ancus Marcius, the 4th king. He became the legal guardian of the king's two sons with Marcius died.
-Tarquin the Elder then sent the two boys off on a hunting trip when the king died and then lobbied the Senate to hold elections for the new king. He was successfully elected.
-As king, the first thing he did was expand the Senate to 300 people.
-This allowed him more power since he was granting more power to these new senators, and they in turn supported him.
-He also started fighting with his Latin neighbors.
-Built a hippodrome for celebrations after battles- the Circus Maximus.
-After the Latins were subdued, the Sabines decided to fight with Rome. The Etruscans joined in as well, but were unsuccessful in defeating the Romans.
-After these victories, Rome built triumphs in celebration.
-Tarquin the Elder then adopted Servius Tullius, a boy said to have had a ring of fire surrounding his head, or surrounded by good omens or something.
-However, the sons of Ancus Marcius were pissed off for getting shafted, and began to conspire to assassinate the king. However, when they actually tried to do this, during the confusion, Queen Tanaquil was able to retain power by convincing a gathering crowd that the now dead king wasn't actually dead, and that Servius Tulls acting as king until Tarquin recovered.
-Unfortunately, Tarquin the Elder was indeed dead.
-Servius Tullius - 6th king, enthroned in 579 BC.
-Adopted son of Tarquin the Elder.
-He successfully acted as king, and exiled the sons of Ancus Marcius.
-Soon, Veii began attacking Rome, but the Romans successfully defended themselves.
-Servius Tullius was considered a hero by the people!
-He was the last good king, and did a lot of stuff that would have a lasting impression on the Roman government and culture.
-He divided the land-owning Romans into 5 main classes, divided by wealth so they could see what kind of resources were available in case of war:
-1st: richest class, provided helms, shields, bronze breastplates, greaves, swords, spears
-2nd: same as #1, but no breastplates.
-3rd: same as #1, but no breastplates or greaves
-4th: only spears and javelins
-5th: slings and stones
-Also were the equites, who were the richest of the rich and had to provide horses.
-Everyone else in Roman lands were exempt.
-The legions were made up of men between the ages of 18-40.
-Class division also served as the basis for the new Roman electoral college.
-Romulus' Comitae Curiata was replaced by Servius Tullius' Comitae Centuriata.
-Classes were divided into centuries, which voted as blocks:
-1st class: 80 centuries
-2nd class: 20 centuries
-3rd class: 20 centuries
-4th class: 20 centuries
-5th class: 30 centuries
-Equites: 12 centuries
-Common folk: 1 century (ha)
-The common folk only having 1 century kind of made sense, however, since the wealthy were responsible for providing the military and financial resources.
-Servius Tullius married his daughters to Tarquin the Elder's two sons, but this wasn't enough for one of the sons, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.
-Lucius' brother was married to Tullia, who hated him because he had no drive or ambition, and thus she had a crush on Lucius.
-Lucius and Tullia made a plan to kill their unwanted spouses in order to be with each other and ultimately take the crown for themselves!
-So, they spread negative rumors about Servius Tullius, and when the king was away they used this negative publicity to enthrone Lucius, who proclaimed himself king!
-Servius Tullius returned and a fight broke out between the two factions, and Tullius was killed.
-Tarquinius Superbus (Tarquin the Proud) - 7th king, enthroned in 535 BC.
-Usurper to the throne of Servius Tullius.
-He was a complete tyrant- vain, arrogant, pompous.
-He wasted resources, consolidated power, and was just a complete dick.
-Eventually, Sextus, his son, was invited to a dinner party hosted by Collatinus, a local noble. There he met Lucrecia, Collatinus' wife.
-Later, Sextus raped Lucrecia while Collatinus was off fighting in a battle.
-Collatinus returned to his home with his companion, Lucius Junius Brutus, to find that his wife had killed herself out of shape.
-Collatinus and Brutus swore revenge!
-Collatinus raised an army outside of Rome among the Roman troops who hated Tarquin the Proud.
-Tarquin the Proud heard about this, and rode out to meet the army in battle, but they had already left their camp and moved onto Rome! Thus, Tarquin the Proud was exiled and Rome was liberated.
-The Comitae Centuriata banned kings from EVER ruling Rome again, and made it so that Rome would have 2 leaders from then on, starting with Collatinus and Brutus, who were elected as the first dual consuls in 509 BC.
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