Roman History Monarchy Flashcards
Who was the first king of Rome?
Romulus
o Lineage
▪ Mother was Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin, father was Mars (the God)
• Rhea Silvia was the daughter of Numitor, whose brother Amulius had stolen the throne of Alba Longa
• Romulus and his brother were thrown into the Tiber River, recovered by a she-wolf, raised by Shepard Faustulus and Acca Larentia
How was Rome founded? When and by whom?
Romulus had a brother, Remus
There was a dispute over where the city would be settled- Romulus settled the Palatine hill, Remus settled the Aventine hill
Romulus is said to have seen 12 vultures while Remus was said to have seen 6, meaning Romulus had superior augury
Remus overleaps the boundaries of Romulus’ hill and is killed.
Rome is founded on April 21st, 753 B.C.
What important things did Romulus do as king- how did he populate the city and what instution(s) did he establish in it?
Romulus opens up the city to criminals and other outcasts and makes it though they are safe from arrest within Rome (asylum)
He importantly selects 100 of the most noble and wealthy fathers to be senators and patricians
What was the Rape of the Sabine women?
• Demand for women causes Romulus to invite neighboring Sabines to a festival for Neptune in Rome…women are carried off to Rome.
• Causes Rome to go with war with the Sabines
•Fighting is eventually stopped by the woman, specifically the Sabine Hersilia, who then becomes the wife of Romulus
o Thereafter, Romulus co-rules with the Sabine Titus Tatius
How did Romulus die, and what became his name?
Carried off in a cloud to heaven or murdered by senators, he was called Quirinus after his death as a deity.
Who was the second king of Rome? How did he rule?
- Numa Pompilius
• Was a Sabine, son-in-law of Titus
•Not warlike
o The nymph Egeria was his lover and counseler- taught him religious organization
Brings Vestal Virgins from Alba Longa to Rome
Established the Pontifex Maxiumus, the high priest
Added January and February to the calendar
Founded the temple of Janus which was open in wartime and closed in peace died of
old age
Who was the third king of Rome? What did he do during his reign, contruct or conquer, and how did he die?
- Tullus Hostilius
o Was Latin in origin
o Warlike
o Conflict with Alba Longa, Horatii vs. Coratii
o Albans become a part of Roman population and settle on the Caelian Hill, Alba Longa is destroyed except for the temples
•Tullus builds the first senate house, the Curia Hostilia
Tullus goes to war against Sabines who had not come to Rome under Titus Tatius
Gods don’t like this his ignoring of religion, manifested through shower of stones on the Alban Mountain and voices insulting the Albans for abandoning their ways
A plague falls on Rome, Tullus tries to fix things but does the ceremonies wrong and is killed when his house is struck by lightning (Tullus dies in a fire)
What is the acronym we use to remember the order of the kings?
Ramen Noodles Toss And Turn, Serve Them.
Who was the fourth king of Rome?
- Ancus Marcius
o Sabine, grandson of Numa Pompilius
o Establishes a priesthood called Fetiales who were to mediate disputes and declare war
o Declared war on the Latins by means of the Fetiales
o Aventine and Janiculum Hills are settled
o Established a salt water port at Ostia
o Built the Pons Sublicius, the first bridge (wooden) over the Tiber
What happened in the conflict with Alba Longa? How was it faught?
o Horatii vs. Coratii
Rome, under Tullus Hostilius, chooses three brothers, the Horatii,
• They would fight against three Alban brothers, the Curiatii: the victor was to win the war.
• Horatii win, but the Alban king Mettius Fufetius doesn’t obey the rules and triggers a town Fidenae against Rome.
• Rome is victorious over Fidenae, and Mettius Fufetius is drawn and quartered (torn apart by two chariots) for his treachery
Who was the fifth king of Rome? How did he end up becoming king?
- Tarquinius Priscus
o Legend has it an eagle took his cap and returned it shortly after – an event which means he would become king.
o Tarquinius Priscus was originally from Corinth and originally named Lucumo, the son of Demaratus
o Married an Etruscan woman named Tanaquil, they settled in Rome where he took the name Lucius Tarquinius Priscus
o Became friends with Ancus Marcius and was made guardian of his sons
o When Ancus died, he told the sons to go hunting – he seized the throne
What did Tarquinius Priscus do in his reign?
• Was successful against the Latins, Etruscans, and Sabines
He doubled the size of the equites (the cavalry)
o Increased the number of the senate by 100
o Began construction on the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus on the Capitoline Hill and the Circus Maximus
o Built the Cloaca Maxima (sewer) in Rome’s lowlands (this is disputed, Superbus is more known for building the sewer)
How did Tarquinius Priscus die?
- Was eventually killed by assassins hired by the sons of Ancus Marcius.
o Servius Tullius, a protégé of his wife Tanaquil, took the throne
Who was the sixth king of Rome? What were his origins?
- Servius Tullius
o Legend has it that he was covered in flame but felt no harm – Tanaquil interpreted this as destiny
o His origin is unclear; in one account he is a slave, but it is more likely he was the son of a captive woman named Ocrisia from the Etruscan town of Corniculum (hence the Servus)
o Married Tarquinia, daughter of Tarquin and Tanaquil
What did Servus Tullius do during his reign?
Established temples to Fortuna and Diana
o Created the census in which the people of Rome were divided into 5 classes
o Introduced coinage into Rome
o Built the first defensive wall – “Servian Wall” – around Rom
