The Seven Kings of Rome

Roman history is generally divided into three periods of history:

• Monarchy (a king ruled)

• Republic (two consuls ruled annually)

• Empire (typically, one emperor ruled until death)

• 753 BC – 509 BC

• 509 BC – 27 BC

• 27 BC – 476 AD

#1: Romulus

• Romulus was the first king of Rome.

• After killing Remus, Romulus was in sole power. He named the city that he had founded Rome.

• The first settlement was on the Palatine Hill.

• The names of other major hills are Capitoline, Aventine, Esquiline, Caelian, Viminal, and Quirinal.

• In later times, the Palatine Hill was populated with houses of the wealthy. Our word “palatial” comes from “Palatine.”

• After establishing laws and expanding his new territory, Romulus realized that a very important component to Roman society was missing: women.

• He, therefore, invited Sabine families to the Consualia, a festival honoring Neptune.

• The Romans carried off the Sabine daughters (which is often referred to as “The Rape of the Sabine Women” – rapio is the Latin word for “carry off”).

• Although the Sabine families mounted attacks, the Romans were too strong and repelled the Sabines’ advances.

• After a considerable amount of time (at least nine months!), the Sabine daughters, who were now Roman wives, asked for a truce between their Sabine families and their Roman husbands.

• While standing in the Campus Martius one day, Romulus was taken into the heavens during a thunderstorm. He became known as the god Quirinus.

#2: Numa Pompilius

• Numa was a more peaceful ruler than Romulus. His advisor (and, by some accounts, his wife) was the goddess/nymph Egeria.

• Numa instituted a lunar calendar (i.e., divided into months).

• Numa founded the cult of Vestal Virgins, who were devoted to the goddess Vesta (domain: home and hearth).

• Vestal Virgins served for thirty years.

• Punishment for a minor infraction was beating, which typically drew blood. However, if a Vestal broke her vow of chastity, she was buried alive in a sealed underground chamber.

• Although given scant sustenance and lamp oil, the Vestal would eventually die.

• The Vestal Virgins were charged with keeping Rome’s eternal flame burning.

• Romans believed that their city would fall if the flame was extinguished.

• Numa had the Temple of Janus built.

• Janus was the god of beginnings and endings. Our word “January” is derived from this god’s name.

• Numa had the Temple of Janus built.

• The temple had two doors. The doors were open during wartime. However, they were closed during Numa’s entire reign, thus signifying peace.

• Numa established the office of the Pontifex Maximus, or chief priest.

Numa coin: note “NUMA” in crown

Back of Numa coin: Numa about to sacrifice a goat

#3: Tullus Hostilius

• Tullus Hostilius was a bellicose king.

• He is responsible for the destruction of Alba Longa. Do you remember Alba Longa? Ascanius founded this city.

• Tullus Hostilius built the first senate house, or curia. His senate house was called the Curia Hostilia.

inside the Curia Iulia (in the Roman Forum)

exterior of Curia Iulia

• According to legend, Tullus was struck down by Jupiter’s thunderbolt for failing to pay proper respect to the gods.

• Historically, Tullus may have died in a house fire.

#4: Ancus Martius

• Ancus Martius (also known as Ancus Marcius) was the grandson of Numa Pompilius.

• True to his ancestry, Ancus upheld religious rites.

• Ancus is credited with the building of the Mamertine Prison.

• The prison (carcer) housed inmates until their executions.

• During the Christian era, Peter and Paul were said to have been incarcerated here.

• The Mamertine is at the foot of the Capitoline Hill and near the Forum Romanum.

inside Mamertine, upper level

inside Mamertine, lower level

• Ancus established a deep-sea port at Ostia (at the mouth of the Tiber). This became a major port in the ancient world.

• The Pons Sublicius, the first bridge across the Tiber River, was built during Ancus’ reign.

• Ancus Martius was defeated by the Etruscans, a people from Etruria.

• Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, or Tarquin the Elder, was the first Etruscan king of Rome.

#5: Tarquinius Priscus

• Tarquin the Elder ingratiated himself to Ancus. He was so trusted that Ancus appointed Tarquin guardian of his children.

• When Ancus died, Tarquin conveniently arranged to send Ancus’ children out of town. Then, he convinced the Romans to elect him as the next king.

• Tarquin the Elder is credited with the construction of the Cloaca Maxima, the first sewer in Rome.

Cloaca Maxima

• Tarquinius Priscus instituted the Ludi Romani (Roman Games). The Circus Maximus was built during his reign.

model of Circus Maximus

Circus Maximus today

#6: Servius Tullius

• After Tarquin was reportedly killed by a plot managed by Ancus’ sons, Servius Tullius came to power.

• Servius Tullius was a son of one of Tarquin’s servants.

• Servius expanded the city and built the Servian Wall, which encompassed Rome and its seven hills.

Do you see the Servian Wall?

• Servius was killed by a Tarquin, who was married to one of Servius’ daughters, Tullia.

• Tullia was so evil that she ran over her father’s corpse with her carriage.

#7: Tarquinius Superbus

• Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, or Tarquin the Proud, was a tyrant. He was hated and feared by the Romans. Even his peers in the senate feared him.

• During Tarquin’s reign, a prophetess with the Sibylline Books came to him. She claimed that the books held Rome’s destiny, and she offered to sell him the nine volumes for a high price. Tarquin declined.

• She burned three of the books and returned to sell six books for the original price (of the nine). Once again, Tarquin declined, and the prophetess departed.

• The woman came back yet again and offered to sell Tarquin three books – she had burned three more – for the original price of nine books. This time, Tarquin consulted the senate and purchased these three volumes.

• These books were consulted by appointed patricians in times of crisis.

• Sextus, Tarquin’s son, was as evil as his father. When visiting his cousin Collatinus, Sextus had designs on Lucretia, his cousin’s wife.

• Sextus was so enamored by Lucretia’s virtue that he went to her bedroom (during her husband’s absence) and told her he would kill her if she did not sleep with him. However, she refused him.

• After Lucretia refused the evil Sextus, he threatened to kill her and a slave and put them in bed together. She would not be able to defend her honor from the grave.

• Then, Sextus forced himself upon Lucretia.

• The next morning, Lucretia told her father, her husband Collatinus, and their friend Brutus what had happened. Since she felt she had sullied the family’s reputation, she stabbed herself right before their eyes.

• Lucius Junius Brutus then took the bloody dagger from Lucretia’s body and boldly went forth to the Rostra (speaker’s platform) in the Forum. He told the citizens of Sextus’ crime. Consequently, Tarquin the Proud and his family were exiled.

• Since that time, the Romans had a distinct dislike of kings. They established a republic in 509 BC, and Brutus and Collatinus were the first consuls.

Finis