![]() The consul felt hurt at finding these rumors so widely believed, and summoned the people to an assembly. It was rumored that he was aiming at monarchy, for he had held no election to fill Brutus' place, and he was building a house on the top of the Velia - an impregnable fortress was being constructed on that high and strong position. For example, the construction activities on the Velia that are mentioned, must refer to (re)building of the royal palace, which was situated in the western flank and top of this hill.Īfter the battle, the surviving consul found himself not only unpopular but an object of suspicion, and that of a very grave character. As we will see, he calls him consul, but there are several elements in the story that suggest another reality. Livy continues with a story that suggests that Valerius wanted to remain sole ruler. However this may be, it is certain that Valerius was alone in charge after the death of Brutus. It is more probable that Valerius was Brutus' right-hand man or an influential senator who had helped Brutus become sole ruler. Our sources state that he succeeded Collatinus as consul, but this is not very likely, since it would mean that the republican constitution had already crystallized out. In the weeks or months between the expulsion of Collatinus and the death of Brutus, another man had become important: Publius Valerius. Although Brutus was able to prevent Tarquin's return, he died during the decisive battle. King Tarquin first tried to regain his city by a conspiracy in which Brutus' sons and family-in-law were involved, and when this failed, he tried to come back with an army. It is more likely that the two men were involved in a power struggle.īrutus did not have a lot of pleasure from his victory. After all, Brutus was a closer relative of the expelled king than Collatinus. Our sources indicate that this was because the Romans did not like the royal name, but that cannot be the real reason. Power Struggle Brutus' Family Treeįirst, Brutus was able to eliminate Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. However, it is unlikely that the republic was there at once it is more probable that both men tried to become sole ruler, and that the republican constitution grew slowly in the years after the expulsion of the king. According to the Roman historian Titus Livy (59 BCE - 17 CE), they were the founders of the Roman republic, in which two consuls - elected for one year - were responsible to the Senate. Two of his relatives were responsible for his expulsion: Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus and Lucius Junius Brutus. The king's surname Superbus means something like "the proud one".Īfter a sex scandal in his family (discussed here), Tarquin lost control of his city-state. It seems that Tarquin behaved like an autocrat and did not consult the senators, who felt ignored. The heads of Rome's noble families had always been invited to give advise to the king their meeting was called the Senate. His domestic policy, however, was disastrous. The Latin cities recognized Roman leadership. His kingdom was one of the most powerful in Italy: its capital had some 35,000 inhabitants, its territory was some 800 square kilometers, and its zone of influence stretched as far as Circeii and Terracina - 90 kilometers to the southeast. In the last quarter of the sixth century BCE, Rome was ruled by king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud, a descendant from an Etruscan family. ![]() He became powerful after the expulsion of the last king, Tarquin the Proud, and the death of the man who had expelled him, Lucius Junius Brutus. Publius Valerius Publicola: one of the first republican statesmen of ancient Rome. ![]()
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