| TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS (TARQUIN THE PROUD) | | | | what happened and then killed herself. Lucius Brutus |
| AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MONARCHY | | | | together with his relatives and friends took out her |
| Tarquinius Superbus was son of Tarquinius Priscus | | | | bloodstained body. The indignant Romans came to the |
| and therefore, of the Etruscan origin. | | | | Roman forum and the result was an expulsion of the |
| He became a king after arranging the assassination of | | | | royal family to Etruria. The people of Rome then |
| his father in law. His reign was marked by tyranny and | | | | elected two consuls – Brutus and Collatinus. This |
| violence. He destroyed all the Sabine shrines and altars. | | | | way Rome became a Republic. |
| But then came the tragedy. His son, Sextus Tarquinius, | | | | TARQUNIUS’ ATTEMPTS |
| as violent as his father raped a patrician woman | | | | But the legend says that it wasn’t the end. In the |
| named Lucretia who became a legendary figure in the | | | | beginning Tarquinius tried to came back with the help |
| history of Rome. The central figures of this tragedy | | | | of some well-borns but the plot was uncovered and |
| were: virtuous Lucretia, the wife of Lucius Tarquinius | | | | this attempt failed. Then the exiled king asked for help |
| Collatinus, Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus – her husband, | | | | the Etrurians. The armies of two Etrurian cities moved |
| Lucius Junius Brutus – brother of Lucretia and friend | | | | to Rome. The legendary battle was fought on the right |
| of Collatinus. | | | | bank of the river Tiber, near the Arsian wood where |
| LUCRETIA | | | | Brutus was killed and none of the armies prevailed. But |
| The legend says that once the sons of the king | | | | during the night the Etrurians were scared by the voice |
| feasted somewhere out of Rome with Lucius | | | | of God Sylvan and retreated. After that Tarquinius ran |
| Tarquinius Collatinus – the husband of Lucretia. They | | | | to the Etruscan lord Lars Porsenna of Clusium. |
| started talking about their wives and everybody | | | | HORATIUS COCLES AND GAIUS MUTIUS |
| praised his own wife. Then Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus | | | | SCAEVOLA |
| offered them to go and see what their wives were | | | | When the Etrurians came to the bridge on the Tiber |
| doing. So they did. In some hours they came back to | | | | they saw that the Romans didn’t manage to |
| Rome. The wives of the king’s sons were feasting | | | | destroy it yet. But the Roman soldier Horatius Cocles |
| with their friends. Then all of them went to Collatius | | | | defended the bridge and the Romans destroyed it |
| house where they found Lucretia surrounded by her | | | | behind him. When that was done, Cocles managed to |
| maids and spinning wool. But the beauty and virtue of | | | | reach the left bank of the river. Lars Porsenna |
| Lucretia infatuated Sextus with an insane passion. | | | | besieged Rome. A noble young man Gaius Mutius |
| Some days after their visit he came to Lucretia’s | | | | Scaevola decided to kill the king Porsenna. Disguised |
| house without the knowledge of Collatinus. She made | | | | as an Etruscan soldier, he entered the camp of the |
| welcome him and after lunch he was taken to his | | | | enemy but killed the king’s yeoman by mistake. |
| room. During the night Sextus Tarquinius came to | | | | Arrested by king’s guards, Mutius bravely declared |
| Lucretia’s bedroom, frightened her with sword and | | | | that a lot of Roman young men are ready to follow his |
| raped her. In the morning he left the house and Lucretia | | | | example. The amazed king ordered to release the |
| called her husband and her father. They came | | | | young man. This heroism scared the Etrurian king and |
| together with their closest friends. Lucretia told them | | | | he raised the siege. |