Lucius Tarquinius Priscus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lucius Tarquinius Priscus |
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Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, a 16th-century picture
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| King of Rome | |
| Reign | c. 616–578 BC |
| Predecessor | Ancus Marcius |
| Successor | Servius Tullius |
| Spouse | Tanaquil |
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| Father | Demaratus of Corinth |
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, also known as Tarquin the Elder, was the fifth king of Rome. He was the first king from the Etruscan family. He ruled for 38 years. During his time, Tarquin made Rome much stronger. He did this by winning wars and by building many great structures. His wife was Tanaquil, who could see the future.
Not much is known about Tarquin's early life. He came from a region called Etruria. His original name might have been Lucumo. But some people think Lucumo was actually a title, meaning "king."
Tarquin's father, Demaratus of Corinth, was from the Greek city of Ancient Corinth. Because his father was Greek, Tarquin could not get an important political job in his hometown of Tarquinii. So, his wife Tanaquil told him to move to Rome.
A famous story says that when they arrived in Rome, an eagle took Tarquin's hat. The eagle flew away and then put the hat back on his head. Tanaquil, who was good at telling the future, said this was a sign. It meant he would become very important. In Rome, Tarquin earned respect because he was polite and kind. The king at the time, Ancus Marcius, noticed Tarquin. King Marcius even chose Tarquin to be the guardian of his own sons.
Contents
Becoming King of Rome
How Tarquin Rose to Power
After King Ancus Marcius died, people in Rome did not automatically choose the king's sons to rule next. The first three kings of Rome were not followed by their sons. Each new king was chosen by the people.
When King Marcius died, Tarquin spoke to the Roman people. He convinced them that he should be king. He argued that the king's sons were too young to rule. This made him the first Roman king to actively try to get the throne. Some stories say the king's sons were away hunting when their father died. This meant they could not stop Tarquin from being chosen.
Changes Tarquin Made
Tarquin made the Senate bigger. The Senate was a group of important advisors. He added 100 new members from leading families. He hoped these new members would be thankful to him. This would make them loyal and strengthen his rule. One of these new families was the Octavii. The first Roman emperor, Augustus, later came from this family.
Rome's Military Victories
Tarquin is known for making Rome's borders larger. He did this by winning wars against nearby tribes. These tribes included the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans.
War with the Latins
Tarquin's first war was against the Latins. Tarquin quickly captured the Latin town of Apiolae. He took many valuable things from there back to Rome. This war likely happened before 588 BC.
The Latins said that old peace agreements with Rome were no longer valid. So, they started attacking. Tarquin saw a chance to add the Latins to Rome's power. He quickly fought back and conquered several Latin cities. Because of this, the Latins asked the Sabines and Etruscans for help. Tarquin decided to keep his army focused on the Latins. This led to a big Roman victory.
War with the Sabines
After defeating the Latins, Tarquin began fighting the Sabines. The Sabines had their main camp where two rivers met. This allowed them to move their soldiers quickly. Tarquin used a clever military trick. He launched a surprise attack at night. He set many small boats on fire and sent them down the river. The burning boats set the Sabine camp on fire. While the Sabines were busy putting out the flames, Tarquin and his soldiers attacked their camp.
Later, the Sabines attacked Rome again. Tarquin made his cavalry (soldiers on horseback) twice as large to help in the war. The Sabines were defeated after tough street fighting in Rome. In the peace talks, Tarquin received the town of Collatia. He made his nephew, Arruns Tarquinius, the commander there. Tarquin returned to Rome and celebrated a triumph on September 13, 585 BC.
After this, many Latin cities became part of Rome. These included Corniculum, old Ficulea, Cameria, Crustumerium, Ameriola, Medullia, and Nomentum.
War with the Etruscans
Tarquin also wanted peace with the Etruscans. But they refused. Tarquin had kept some Etruscan soldiers as prisoners. These soldiers had helped the Sabines in the war. Because of this, five Etruscan cities declared war on Rome. Seven other Etruscan cities joined them.
The Etruscans soon captured the Roman town of Fidenae. This town became the main focus of the war. After several bloody battles, Tarquin won again. He took control of the Etruscan cities that had fought against Rome. After each of his successful wars, Rome became richer from the things Tarquin had captured.
Amazing Buildings and Projects
Tarquin is famous for building the Circus Maximus. This was the first and largest stadium in Rome, used for chariot racing. The Circus Maximus started as a simple piece of land. But Tarquin turned it into a grand and beautiful stadium. Important people like senators had special raised seats. Other areas were set aside for regular citizens. The king started yearly games there. The first horses and boxers came from Etruria. It was called Circus Maximus to show it was the biggest stadium of its kind.
After a big flood, Tarquin built the Cloaca Maxima. This was Rome's great sewer system. It helped drain the wet, low-lying areas of Rome. The sewer used arches, a building style inspired by older Etruscan structures. He also built a stone wall around the city of Rome.
Tarquin also started building a temple on the Capitoline Hill. This temple was for the god Jupiter Optimus Maximus. The money for this temple partly came from the treasures taken from the Sabines after their defeat.
Celebrations of Victory
Tarquin was the first Roman ruler to celebrate a Roman triumph. This was a huge parade to celebrate a military victory. Tarquin celebrated his triumphs in the Etruscan way. He rode in a golden chariot pulled by four horses. He wore a special gold-embroidered toga and a tunic with palm leaves on it.
He also brought other Etruscan symbols to Rome. These included the king's sceptre (a ceremonial staff). He also introduced the fasces, which were bundles of rods carried by guards. The curule chair and the toga praetexta (a special toga with a purple border) were also introduced. These were later used by Roman officials. Rings worn by senators and special military cloaks were also part of his changes. He even introduced the phalera, a metal disc worn by soldiers during parades. Many Roman symbols for war come from his time as king.
Death and What Happened Next
Tarquin ruled for 38 years. The sons of the previous king, Ancus Marcius, believed they should have been king. So, they planned to kill Tarquin. They pretended to start a riot. During the chaos, Tarquin was hit in the head with an ax and died.
However, Queen Tanaquil told everyone that the king was only wounded. She used this confusion to make Servius Tullius the temporary ruler. When Tarquin's death was finally confirmed, Servius Tullius became king. He took the place of Tarquin's own sons and the sons of Ancus Marcius.
Servius Tullius was said to be the son of a prince who had died fighting Tarquin. He came to the palace as a child with his mother. Legend says Tanaquil saw signs that Servius Tullius would be a great leader. So, she chose him over her own sons. Servius Tullius married Tarquinia, one of Tarquin's daughters. This created a strong link between the families. Later, Servius Tullius's own daughters married Tarquin's sons (or grandsons).
Most old writers say Tarquin was the father of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. This younger Tarquin became the seventh and last King of Rome. But some say the younger Tarquin was actually his grandson. The timeline seems to support him being a grandson. This is because the younger Tarquin died about 80 years after Tarquinius Priscus.
An Etruscan story says Servius Tullius was a hero named Macstarna. He helped free some Etruscan heroes from prison. This story suggests that Tarquin's sons might have tried to take power. But they were defeated by Servius Tullius. Servius Tullius then tried to end the family struggle by having his daughters marry Tarquin's grandsons. However, this plan did not work. Servius Tullius himself was later killed by his son-in-law, who then became king.
See also
- Tarquinia gens
