The Etruscan Kings, 616-509 BC Flashcards
Etruscans
Urnfield culture.
Herodotus says they come from the Near East – not true, they were central European. Oriental culture came from Greek traders
Influenced by Greek art, architecture, and burial practices.
Traded with Egypt, Greece, Phoenicia, Rome
* Might explain why Livy believes Etruscan practices were introduced by Romulus.
Tarquinius Priscus origins
Son of Demaratus who fled Corinth in 657 and created a trade empire in Tarquinii, bringing Greek craftsmen, engineers, and traders to Italy.
Etruscan culture did spread in the 7th century. Demaratus was potentually real.
Why did Tarquinius Priscus move to Rome?
He could not hold office in Tarquinii as he was half foreign, but knew that foreigners could rule in Rome. (Numa was Sabine)
Role of Tanaquil in Tarquinius Priscus’ move to Rome
Encouraged him, and interpretted the omen of the eagle snatching his hat.
How did Tarquinius Priscus gain power in Rome?
Ambitus.
Used wealth to fund the king in wars, had good judgement, and won support of people by investing so much money and affection in Rome.
Removed Ancus’ children from Rome
Priscus’ political change.
- Added 100 of his men to the senate to consolidate his power. (Livy calls them lesser families, Dionysius calls them good warriors and excellent administrators).
- Built the Circus Maximus with war spoils, and let a number of Patricians build their own 12-feet high fori (seating areas)
- Murdred by Ancus Marcius’ sons at the age of eighty.
Priscus’ social change
- Increased number of festivals and games with Circus Maximus
- Forum extended: shops and colonades constructed – Archaeology agrees, but unsure whether from Etruscan influence
- Commenced construction of open-air sewer, completed as the Cloaca Maximus by Superbus – Archaeology agrees, Etruscans excellent engineers, and had improved sanitation in their cities
Priscus’ Religious change
- Number of Vestal Virgins increased to 6.
- Harsher punishments for Vestals who broke vow of chastity
Priscus’ Military record
Defeated several Latin cities
Had success against
- Etruscans
- Sabines
- Veii.
Defended Rome
Who was the wife of Priscus?
Tanaquil
Original name of Priscus
Lucumo
Father of Priscus
Demaratus
Attus Navius
Augur who stopped Priscus’ demand for new centuries on the grounds that the Gods were against the decision.
Apollo in Rome
Influence from Greece. Cult of Apollo spread across Italy in the 6th century, temples to him built in Veii and Pompeii at that time. Earliest in Rome, Temple to Apollo Medicus, 433 BC
Dates of Servius Tullius’ reign
578-535
Servius Tullius’ mythological beginning
A young slave, his head was surrounded by flame while he slept. The miracle was witnessed by Tanaquil, who stated that he would save the Royal Family in its hour of need. Priscus raised Servius as a son, and married him to one of his daughters.
Another, that his mother was impregnated by a divine phallus that rose from a fire.
Livy’s account of Servius Tullius’ origins
Tullius was the child of Servius Tullius, leading general of Corniculum, who was killed. His pregnant wife was brought to Rome to live with Tanaquil.
How did Servius become King?
Priscus assassinated, Tanaquil closes the palaces, and tells Servius to become king, as it is his destiny to save the royal family.
Convinced leading men of Rome that Priscus was unwell and demanded Servius be made temporary king. When he was revealed to be dead, Servius automatically became king.
First king since Romulus not to be chosen by the people.
Some of the reforms credited to Servius (7)
- census, shares military burdens according to wealth
- development of the equites
- introduction of a new voting system
- introduction of the tribal system
- extension of the city and the Servian Wall
- The Temple of Diana
- tackling plebeian poverty caused by warfare and debt
Servius’ census
Census: 5 classes according to wealth and what weapons they would have to provide. Men worth 100,000 asses were divided into 80 centuries, 40 older for city defence, 40 younger for conquest. First Class, helmet, round shield, greaves, bronze breastplate.
Servius’ Equites
Created as part of census, given a state horse for cavalry, presitigious, and used to promote successful plebeian families.
How did Servius compensate the rich for his census
made it so that votes were cast in order of wealth. Richest voted first, meaning the decision was reached before the poorest got their vote.
Servius’ social changes
New tribal sytem to help with census based upon where a citizen lived. Four areas.
Added Quirinal and Viminal hills. Extended Esquiline. Began. Servian wall, no evidence of construction in this time period – Servian wall actually from Republic, 4th century.
Servius’ religious changes
As a joint project of a number of Latin cities and Rome to strengthen ties, Temple of Diana built. Used to cement position as most powerful city in the area.
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus’ dates in power
535-509
What did Tarquinius Superbus use to his advantage to become king?
(DIONYSIUS)
Servian reforms and increasing financial and military burdens on the patrician class made Servius unpopular among the upper class.
What did Tarquinius Superbus use to his advantage to become king?
(LIVY)
Servius’ old age, the support of his daughter, and amitius.
Tullia
Daughter of Servius, wife of Superbus
Encouraged Superbus to seize the throne
Killed her father by driving her chariot over him
How does Livy describe Superbus’ coup
Superbus bribed the young senators to join him, and marched into the senate with a small army and sat on the throne, demanding the Senate meet its new king.
The senators appeared out of loyalty, curiosity, or fear.
Gave speech against Servius and when the old king came in, picked him up and threw him down the steps, where Superbus’ men killed him.
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus’ political changes
- Seized throne by force, no approval from senate, surrounded himself with bodyguards, and took precautions against assassinations.
- Accused rivals of capital crimes and sentence them to death
- Senate’s influence decreased until not being used at all
- Refused to bury Servius
- Treated plebeians badly
- Removed the census
- Banned religous ceremonies that allowed groups to plot against him
- Prevent plebeians from opposing him, made them labourers
- Military expansion created colonies for some plebeians to acquire new land
What did the plebeians build for Superbus?
How does Livy portray these projects?
Modernised Circus Maximus and Cloaca Maxima, and contruct several temples
Livy implies it provided jobs, albeit unpleasant.
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus’ Military success
- Effective diplomat and general
- Enlarged Rome’s empire
- Created two colonies
- Sextus’ concquest of Gabii was done through deceit
- Deafeated Volsci, starting a 200 hundred year war with them
Who was Sextus
Son of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
Where were the colonies Superbus made?
Signia and Circeii
Superbus’ religious and social change
- Improved infrastructure of Rome
- Completed Cloaca Maximus
- Extended Circus Maximus
- Built number of temples across Rome
Archaeology reveals the Cloaca Maximus was built in this period, and there were many temples built. Period of rapid expansion.
urnfield culture
culture that spread from central Europe into italy before 9th century
Name comes from custom of cremating dead and placing the ashes in urns
ambitus
used by ancient Romans to describe behavior of men who used political corruption or bribary to gain power
Priscus’ centuries
While strengthening walls of Rome, a Sabine Army crossed the Anio river, and threatened Rome. Priscus demanded several new centuries (to be named after himself), but an auger stopped him. Instead Priscus doubled number of men in each century, and added 1,200 cavalry. Defeated the Sabines.
This story tells us two things. First, Romulus’ patrician families opposed him, second, Priscus created Rome’s first separate cavalry.
