Lucius Tarquinius Priscus

According to legend, the kingdom's homeland was the Etruscan city ​​of Tarquinia . His real name was Lukumon (according to modern concepts, Lukumon, etr . Lauchumu is not a name, but a word meaning "lord, leader"). Lucius Tarquinius's father, Demaratus, moved to Tarquinia from the Greek city ​​of Corinth and belonged to the Bakkhiad family . Born from a Tarquinian woman, Lukumon earned himself a great fortune in his youth and married Tanakaville , a smart and ambitious woman. It was she who advised him to move to Rome , since in Tarquinia, due to the fact that Lukumon was not a purebred Etruscan, he was blocked from access to higher posts.

Lukumon with all the house and wealth went to Rome. When he was already approaching Yanikul in his chariot , the eagle swirled over the head of the future king, grabbed his helmet, lifted him into the air, and then laid him on his head again. Tanakville saw this as a good omen and said that Lukumon would become king.

Arriving in Rome, Lucumon took on a new name: Lucius Tarquinius. Thanks to his wealth and wisdom, he soon became one of the most influential people in Rome. Tsar Ankh Marcius noticed Lucius Tarquinius, made him a close man and appointed commander of the cavalry. After his death, Lucius Tarquinius convinced the National Assembly that it was he, and not one of the young children, Anka Marzia, who should become the king of Rome.

Many historians, including Niebuhr and Mommsen , reject the tradition of the Etruscan origin of Lucius Tarquinius and believe that he belonged to the tribe of lucers . It should be noted that in the time of Lukumon, the genus Tarquinians already existed.

After his election to the kingdom, Lucius Tarquinius was forced to continue external wars with the Latins , Etruscans and Sabinians . By attack, cities such as Apiola , Firulea , Cameria and Nomentum were taken. Those Latin cities that surrendered without a fight were to become Roman allies without diminishing their former rights. On the contrary, the city of Kornikul for stubborn defense after the capture was destroyed to the ground. Lucius Tarquinius managed to subdue Etrurius and the Sabines and took a huge booty. Under him, Rome finally became the head of the Latin Union, inheriting this title from the destruction of Tullus by Gostilius Alba Longa .

During his reign, Lucius Tarquinius carried out many reforms, closely engaged in the arrangement of Rome. Under him, art began to develop in Rome. Here are the main milestones of his activities:

• Lucius Tarquinius increased the Senate to 300 people due to new members from poor families. Among them were Octavia . Also, a centuriate comitia was expanded to 1800 people.
• Under him, the Temple of Jupiter of Capitol was built, a place was reserved for the Roman Forum . Lucius Tarquinius, according to legend, built a Roman sewage system , the Big Cloak , to drain wastewater. He also built a plumbing and a large circus building for regular races and festivities.
• Lucius Tarquinius brought many Etruscan customs to Rome and after victories over the Etruscans and the Sabines, he was the first to celebrate the triumph in Rome according to the Etruscan model.

The sons of Anka Marcius, meanwhile, continued to harbor anger at the darling of his father, who had taken away royal power from them. As part of the conspiracy, they arranged a showy quarrel between themselves, and when Lucius Tarquinius came out to reconcile them, he was killed by a blow with a club. Nevertheless, the conspirators did not gain anything from this murder and were expelled from the city: on the same day, the adopted son of the murdered king and the favorite of Tanakville, Servius Tullius , occupied the smoking-seat .

• Titus Livy - “ History from the Foundation of the City ” - Book I, 34-41.
• Jean-Noel Robert - The Etruscans

• Obnorsky N.P. ,. Tarquinia, genus // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.