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King of Rome
Lucius Tarquinius
Priscus
616 B.C. to 579 B.C.
According to Livy he and his wife
Tanaquil were from Etruria. The
Etruscans had a powerful kingdom
up north of Rome.
Even though he was very
wealthy he was denied
political office because his
father was Greek. So he and
his wife migrated to Rome.
Upon his arrival in Rome an eagle
swooped down and removed his cap
from his head and then returned it.
His wife Tanaquil, who was skilled
in the art of prophecy, said this was
a sign to greatness.
In Rome he earned respect through
his courtesy and the king, Ancus
Marcius, appointed him guardian to
his sons.
At this time Rome was not a
hereditary monarchy. When Ancus
died his sons were away and
Tarquinius convinced the people to
elect him king.
Tarquinius increased the number of
senators by 100 and more Equites to
help him with his many wars.
It is said that he built the first
Circus Maximus, drained the
swamped lands below Rome and
built the Cloaca Maxima, a great
sewer.
He ruled for 38 years. The sons of
his predecessor believed that the
throne was theirs.
They arranged his assassination
during a riot where he received a
fatal blow to the head.
His queen Tanaquil stated though
that it was merely a minor wound.
She established Servius Tullius as
regent and when the king’s death was
confirmed he became king instead of
Ancus’ sons.
Servius had been a slave in the
palace and while sleeping one night
the other slaves found a ring of fire
around his head.
Tanaquil quickly kept the other
slaves from killing the boy
interpreting the sign to mean one
of greatness.
She raised him to be king favoring
him over her own children.
Servius married the king’s
daughter Tarquinia to link the two
families. He married his two
daughters, Tullias, to the sons of
Ancus trying to appease them.