Download Stage 3: Tarquin Superbus and Lucius Junius Brutus

Latin 1A
Magistra Kelleher
Historical Figures #3: Tarquin and Brutus
After killing his brother and founding the city of Rome, Romulus brought peace to
Rome and expanded the city’s influence over the surrounding area of Latium. For 200 years
Rome was ruled by kings, until Lucius Tarquinius Superbus took power in about 534 BC.
Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud was an arrogant king who ruled the city
with an iron fist. While not much is known about the early years of Tarquin’s reign, the story
of his downfall is one of the most important events in Roman history. In 509 BC Tarquin was
out on a hunting expedition with his most respected noble men. One night the men were
discussing their wives, and were trying to determine which man had the most virtuous and
faithful wife. Lucius Collatinus (a cousin of the king) declared that his wife, Lucretia, was the
most beautiful and faithful wife in all of Rome. After some discussion the men decided that
Collatinus was right and Lucretia was declared the best wife in Rome. That night, once the
men went to sleep, Sextus Tarquinius, the son of Tarquin the Proud, snuck out of camp and
rode back to Rome. He arrived at Lucretia’s house and asked to come inside. Because he was a
cousin of their master, the slaves allowed him to enter the house. Once inside, Sextus attacked
Lucretia and threatened to kill her and spread a rumor that she had been unfaithful to her
husband if she did not obey him. Lucretia did not want to die and leave her husband believing
that she had betrayed him so she gave into Sextus.
When morning came Lucretia was overwhelmed by grief and shame. She decided to
send a message to her husband telling him to return home immediately. When Collatinus got
the message he hurried home and brought his friend Lucius Junius Brutus with him. Once
they arrived in Rome, Lucretia confessed that Sextus had forced himself upon her, but that she
had never wanted to be unfaithful to her husband. Collatinus and Brutus believed Lucretia’s
story and swore to avenge her. However, Brutus realized that Sextus’ behavior was a result of
his father’s tyranny. Sextus believed that he could do whatever he wanted because he was a
prince. It was then that Brutus decided that the good Roman men should chase out Tarquin
and rid Rome of kings forever.
Brutus, Collatinus, and the rest of the army drove Tarquin’s family away. Tarquin and
his family lived in exile for the next 20 years. Although Tarquin routinely tried to rally other
local leaders to fight with him, he was never able to gain back control of Rome.
The expulsion of the kings in 509 BC is considered a major turning point for the Roman
people because it marks their transition from a monarchy to a republic. For the next 500 years
the Romans despised the word rex (king) and pride themselves on their republican
government. As part of the transition to a republic the Romans created a power structure in
which the state will be governed by two elected consuls. These two men would have shared
executive power over the state and the army for a term of one year. Lucius Junius Brutus was
one of the first consuls of Rome. The legislative branch of the government would be made up
of a group of 300 Roman senators. These senators would be men from the wealthy elite who
were appointed to their position. They would advise the consuls and make laws.
The story of Tarquin, Brutus, and Lucretia is one of the most well known in all of
Roman history. The story is often used as an example of how absolute power given to only one
man leads to corruption. Lucretia was used as a model of womanly virtue throughout ancient
times and into the Renaissance period. Brutus was considered the hero of the Roman republic
and his legacy of republican beliefs plays a crucial role 500 years later during the time of
Julius Caesar.