The kings of romeThe city of Rome had kings from 753-510 B.C.

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romulusAfter being raised by wolves with his brother, Remus, Romulus built Rome and became its

first king from 753-715 B.C.

Romulus made Rome a home to people from other countries as well as people from Italy.

It was rumored that Romulus vanished in a thunderstorm and later became known as the god Quirinus.

Numa Pompilius, a Sabine, ruled from 715-673 B.C. He originally declined when asked to be king, but was persuaded to change his mind by his father.

Numa Pompilius

Numa founded many religious rites and offices including pontifices, flamens, and vestal virgins. He also built a temple to Janus and reorganized the Roman calendar.

Numa’s reign was considered one of peace and reflection.

temple of janus

Numa Pompilius

Tullius Hostilius reigned from 672-641 B.C. He was the complete opposite of Numa as his goal was to find military adventure.

There was much conquest and expansion during Tullius’ reign, as well as the eventual destruction of Rome’s rival, the city Alba Longa.

Tullius hostilius

It was said that Tullius’ warlike behavior and neglect of the gods brought a plague upon the city of Rome. When he asked for help from Jupiter himself he was struck down by lightning.

Tullius Hostilius

One of Tullius’ victories

ancus marcius

Because of the problems that the gung-ho Tullius Hostilius had brought to Rome, the Senate chose Numa Pompilius’ grandson, Ancus Marcius, as their new king, who would rule from 640-616 B.C.

Ancus formed the pleibeian citizen class, founded the port city of Ostia,and built the Pons Sublicius, the first bridge across the Tiber river.

Port of Ostia overview

Port of Ostia

tarquinius priscus

The first Etruscan monarch of Rome was Tarquinius Priscus, who ruled from 616-579B.C.

Tarquinius founded the Roman Games, the Circus Maximus, and built the great sewers. These things were funded through the conquests of destroying nearby tribes and pillaging their villages.

Circus Maximus

Servius Tullius

From 578-534 B.C. Servius Tullius ruled Rome. Servius is known for carrying out a new constitution further developing the citizen classes and building the Temple of Diana on the Aventine hill. The Servian Walls are attributed to him although they were not built until long after he had been assasinated by his daughter and her husband.

Temple of Diana

tarquinius superbus

Tarquinius Superbus,also known as Tarquin the Proud, ruled from 534-510 B.C. The Etruscans were at the height of their power under Tarquinius’ rule. Tarquinius repealed earlier constitutional reforms, and ruled violently. The Romans despised him and when his son Sextius raped a patrician named Lucretia the Tarquins were cast out of Rome in a revolt led by Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus.

The Senate made sure that there would never again be a monarchy after 510 B.C. A Republic Government was formed with Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatius as the first consuls.