DOCSLIB.ORG

The Suicide of Lucretia Though I Absolve Myself of Wrongdoing, I Do Not Exempt Myself from Punishment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

ART AND IMAGES IN PSYCHIATRY SECTION EDITOR: JAMES C. HARRIS, MD The Suicide of Lucretia Though I absolve myself of wrongdoing, I do not exempt myself from punishment. Nor henceforth shall any unchaste woman continue to live by citing the precedent of Lucretia. Livy, History of Rome1(p81) Poor hand, why quiver’st thou at this decree?/Honor thyself to rid me of this shame;/For if I die, my honor lives in thee;/But if I live, thou livest in my defame. Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece2(p28) HE VIRTUOUS LUCRETIA WAS RAPED BY SEXTUS tians have no authority to commit suicide under any cir- Tarquinius, the son of the tyrannical king of cumstances. He condemned Lucretia’s suicide, recasting Rome, in the 6th century BC.3 Afterwards, al- it as response to her shame and not to the high value she though she was the victim, Lucretia commit- placed on chastity. Echoing Lucretia’s father and hus- Tted suicide. Fearing posthumous disgrace when Tar- band, and citing 300 nuns who were raped during the sack quin threatened to kill both her and a male slave and make of Rome and who did not commit suicide, he wrote that it appear that she had been caught in adultery with the there is no unchastity when a woman is ravished against slave, she yielded her body to him but not her mind. Her her will. Projecting a subjective Christian sense of guilt suicide was motivated by shame, not guilt; she felt anx- on Lucretia, he states that if she were indeed innocent, she ious about how others might interpret her behavior if she should not have taken her own life. He simply wrote: “If lived and was concerned that unchaste women would she was pure why was she slain?”4(p31) For Augustine, the claim blackmail as an excuse for their voluntary sexual sin of suicide could not atone for the shame of rape, real encounters (epigraph). Because others could not know or imagined posthumously. Thus, he justified the nuns’ her conscience, she decided that suicide would testify to decision, noting that the nuns did not avenge on them- her innocent state of mind. Female chastity was so re- selves the guilt of others and add crimes of their own to vered by Lucretia that she took her life rather than vio- ones they did not share. In the sight of God, they were pure late this ideal. According to the traditions of the time, and should ignore human suspicion. she died an honorable, heroic death. For Augustine, suicide was a sin because it preempted Before killing herself, she pledged her husband, fa- divine power over life and demonstrated lack of gratitude ther, and male relative Lucius Junius Brutus to an oath for divine grace. Five church councils confirmed August- of revenge against Tarquin. Outraged by her death and ine’s views and codified moral penalties for suicide. At the other excesses by the king and his family, Brutus pulled Council of Arles (452), it was deemed a mortal sin; at the the knife from her body; held it aloft; and summoned all Council of Orleans (533), Christian burial was denied to present to put aside their grief, convert it into anger, and criminals who died by suicide; at the Council of Brega (563), overthrow the monarchy. They carried Lucretia’s body Christian burial rites were denied to all suicides; at the Coun- out of the house to the Roman forum and placed it there, cil of Antisidorum (590), offerings on behalf of the de- attracting indignant crowds who were stunned by the ceased were rejected (denying them divine grace); and at prince’s violent lust and her pitiful death. Brutus called the Council of Toledo (693), suicide attempters were to on the gods who avenge parents. Then, wrote Roman his- be excommunicated. Later, not only was sanctified burial torian Livy,1 Brutus elicited in those assembled, “recol- denied, but also the corpse was desecrated.5 lections of more savage deeds, [and produced] an im- Despite Augustine’s views, in his Divine Comedy, Dante mediate feeling of outrage that is by no means easy for Alighieri places Lucretia and Brutus in Limbo among the historians to relate, he inflamed the people, driving them nobles of Rome and virtuous pagans who have not sinned to revoke the king’s power”1(p83) and ordered the exile of and are not punished; among the others placed here are the king and his wife and children. That accomplished, Socrates and Seneca, both of whom committed suicide. 2 consuls were appointed, Brutus and Collatinus (Lu- Lucretia is not placed in the lower realms with the self- cretia’s husband), who inaugurated the First Roman Re- murderers who are constantly tormented by harpies.6 The public. Thus, the rape of Lucretia initiated the founding legend of Lucretia appears in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Legend of the republic. Brutus’ actions ensured that she did not of Good Women (ca 1386). For Chaucer, Lucretia is con- die in vain. Throughout antiquity, the legendary Lucre- stant in heart and faithful in the love of her husband. Bru- tia was venerated because she sacrificed herself for the tus swears on her chaste blood, and in Roman history ideal of purity and was a symbol of patriotism. she is revered as a saint. By the Renaissance there are al- Nearly a millennium later, in the Christian era that fol- lusions to her heroic suicide as martyrdom; her chastity lowed, Augustine4(pp30,31) interpreted her suicide differ- and sense of shame seem to have won out over self- ently. In his City of God Against the Pagans begun in AD murder and accusations of vanity. 413 (written to defend the Church of Rome against the For Lucretia, revenge and retaliation was carried out charge that Christians had brought about the sack of Rome by men in her family, not by the abused woman herself. by the Visigoths 3 years earlier), he insisted that Chris- LucretiaisavengedbyBrutus.However,otherancientwom- (REPRINTED) ARCH GEN PSYCHIATRY/ VOL 65 (NO. 4), APR 2008 WWW.ARCHGENPSYCHIATRY.COM 374 ©2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved. Downloaded From: https://jamanetwork.com/ on 09/26/2021 ReformedChurchfor“livinginsinlikeawhore”withhim.8(p10) She conceded that their child, born out of wedlock, should be baptized. Rembrandt had not married Hendrickje because he wanted to avoid forfeiture of the inheritance from his wife, Saskia van Uylenburg, who died of tuberculosis in 1642; a second marriage also would have affected the inheritance of his son, Titus. There is no eroticism or hysteria in these paintings of Lu- cretiabyRembrandtasinthosebyothercontemporarypaint- ers.9 Inthefirstpainting(1664)(thumbnail),Lucretiaisalone: her husband, father, and family are not present. Rembrandt stripped away all but one introspective moment and con- centrated on the expression on Lucretia’s face. Her head is slightly tilted and her eyes are red from crying. Her left ear- ring sways, suggesting movement as she guides the dagger toward her heart. Her partly opened mouth may indicate that she has just expressed her resolve to die (epigraph). Her che- mise falls into a deep V and the laces are unloosened on her bodice,thesleeveofherrightforearmappearstobeundone— consistent with her despondent state of mind or possibly the indignity she has experienced.8 In the 1666 painting, Rembrandt used a different model for Lucretia, not Hendrickje, although he may have still been grieving her death. In this later Lucretia, she has now stabbed herself. She fills the frame, yet an aura of pri- Figure. Lucretia, 1666, Minneapolis Institute of Arts. vacy is maintained by her averted gaze and the slight in- clination of her head. She leans against the bed and holds en took justice into their own hands. In Giovanni Boccac- the rope cord for support; tears shine on her lower eye- cio’s On Famous Women, he recounts the lives of 106 fa- lids, and blood from her wound stains her white che- mous women. Among them is Chiomara, the wife of a Ga- mise. Her face conveys utter despair. Her white chemise latianchieftain.Sheandseveralofhersubjectswerecaptured draws attention to her face and sets it off from the knife by the Romans in the Galatian war (189 BCE) and placed wound. The lime green of the garment falling off her under the guard of a Roman centurion, who assaulted and shoulders creates a transition from the golds of her dress raped her despite her utmost resistance. Later the centu- and the pale, deathlike pallor of her face.8 The blood on rion ransomed her back to the Galatians. While he was her chemise was overpainted and not revealed until the occupied at the ransom site counting the gold from his ran- painting was restored in 1953. For Rembrandt, these 2 som, she signaled her servants, speaking in her own lan- Lucretia paintings may represent a eulogy to Hen- guage, to cut off his head. Wrapping the head in her gar- drickje, on whom he relied for so many years.8 ment, she delivered it to her husband, throwing it at his Honor suicide remains an issue in modern times when feet, saying that only one living man may be intimate with a woman is ordered or pressured to kill herself because her. She acknowledged no guilt; her body was defiled but of perceived dishonor to her family. In some parts of the her mind remained chaste. Boccaccio states that Chiomara world, the mere perception that a woman has behaved and Lucretia, about whom he also wrote, are of the same in a way that dishonors her family continues to be suf- breed and preserve their womanly honor.
Recommended publications
  • Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter

    Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter

    Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter Translated by Firebaugh Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter Table of Contents Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter..........................................................................................................................1 Translated by Firebaugh..........................................................................................................................1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................5 I................................................................................................................................................................6 II THE AUTHOR....................................................................................................................................6 III REALISM...........................................................................................................................................8 IV FORGERIES OF PETRONIUS.........................................................................................................9 VOLUME 1.ADVENTURES OF ENCOLPIUS AND HIS COMPANIONS................................................11 CHAPTER THE FIRST.........................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER THE SECOND...................................................................................................................12 CHAPTER THE THIRD.......................................................................................................................12
  • The Ideal of Lucretia in Augustan Latin Poetry

    The Ideal of Lucretia in Augustan Latin Poetry

    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2013-05-07 The Ideal of Lucretia in Augustan Latin Poetry Waters, Alison Waters, A. (2013). The Ideal of Lucretia in Augustan Latin Poetry (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28172 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/705 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY The Ideal of Lucretia in Augustan Latin Poetry by Alison Ferguson Waters A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF GREEK AND ROMAN STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA MAY 2013 © Alison Ferguson Waters 2013 ii Abstract This study concerns the figure of Lucretia as she is presented by the Roman historian Livy in the first book of Ab Urbe Condita, where she is intended as an example of virtue, particularly in terms of her attention to woolworking. To find evidence for this ideal and how it was regarded at the time, in this study a survey is made of woolworking references in the contemporary Augustan poets Vergil, Tibullus, Propertius and Ovid. Other extant versions of the Lucretia legend do not mention woolworking; Livy appears to have added Lucretia’s devotion to wool, a tradition in keeping with Augustan propaganda.
  • The Recollections of Encolpius

    The Recollections of Encolpius

    The Recollections of Encolpius ANCIENT NARRATIVE Supplementum 2 Editorial Board Maaike Zimmerman, University of Groningen Gareth Schmeling, University of Florida, Gainesville Heinz Hofmann, Universität Tübingen Stephen Harrison, Corpus Christi College, Oxford Costas Panayotakis (review editor), University of Glasgow Advisory Board Jean Alvares, Montclair State University Alain Billault, Université Jean Moulin, Lyon III Ewen Bowie, Corpus Christi College, Oxford Jan Bremmer, University of Groningen Ken Dowden, University of Birmingham Ben Hijmans, Emeritus of Classics, University of Groningen Ronald Hock, University of Southern California, Los Angeles Niklas Holzberg, Universität München Irene de Jong, University of Amsterdam Bernhard Kytzler, University of Natal, Durban John Morgan, University of Wales, Swansea Ruurd Nauta, University of Groningen Rudi van der Paardt, University of Leiden Costas Panayotakis, University of Glasgow Stelios Panayotakis, University of Groningen Judith Perkins, Saint Joseph College, West Hartford Bryan Reardon, Professor Emeritus of Classics, University of California, Irvine James Tatum, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire Alfons Wouters, University of Leuven Subscriptions Barkhuis Publishing Zuurstukken 37 9761 KP Eelde the Netherlands Tel. +31 50 3080936 Fax +31 50 3080934 [email protected] www.ancientnarrative.com The Recollections of Encolpius The Satyrica of Petronius as Milesian Fiction Gottskálk Jensson BARKHUIS PUBLISHING & GRONINGEN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GRONINGEN 2004 Bókin er tileinkuð
  • Roman Myth Author(S): Judith De Luce Source: the Classical World, Vol

    Roman Myth Author(S): Judith De Luce Source: the Classical World, Vol

    Roman Myth Author(s): Judith De Luce Source: The Classical World, Vol. 98, No. 2 (Winter, 2005), pp. 202-205 Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press on behalf of the Classical Association of the Atlantic States Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4352931 Accessed: 22-06-2017 16:37 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms The Johns Hopkins University Press, Classical Association of the Atlantic States are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Classical World This content downloaded from 141.222.120.12 on Thu, 22 Jun 2017 16:37:05 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 202 CLASSICAL WORLD ROMAN MYTH There are those who would argue that a course on "classical" mythol- ogy should cover Greek stories alone, that Roman stories are "pseudo- mythology" at best. They might subscribe to H. J. Rose's attitude when he asserts that "Romulus and Remus are not genuine mythology."' He continues by noting that to understand the earliest Roman history, we have to rely on early Greek writers, archaeology, and such traditions as Italian historians have preserved for us. The mythologist is concerned with these alone; and he must share the disgust of the historian when he real- izes that the overwhelming majority of them are not genuine popular native traditions at all, but comparatively late, artificial tales, put together either by Greeks or under Greek influence.2 If Greek mythology is taken as the standard, much of Roman mythol- ogy hardly appears to be mythology at all, especially since Roman stories come from sources much later than those we have for Greek myths.
  • Rape of Lucretia) Tears Harden Lust, Though Marble Wear with Raining./...Herpity-Pleading Eyes Are Sadly Fix’D/In the Remorseless Wrinkles of His Face

    Rape of Lucretia) Tears Harden Lust, Though Marble Wear with Raining./...Herpity-Pleading Eyes Are Sadly Fix’D/In the Remorseless Wrinkles of His Face

    ART AND IMAGES IN PSYCHIATRY SECTION EDITOR: JAMES C. HARRIS, MD Tarquin and Lucretia (Rape of Lucretia) Tears harden lust, though marble wear with raining./...Herpity-pleading eyes are sadly fix’d/In the remorseless wrinkles of his face... She conjures him by high almighty Jove/...Byheruntimely tears, her husband’s love,/By holy hu- man law, and common troth,/By heaven and earth and all the power of both,/That to his borrow’d bed he make retire,/And stoop to honor, not to foul desire.1(p17) UCRETIA WAS A LEGENDARY HEROINE OF ANCIENT shadow so his expression is concealed as he rips off Lucretia’s Rome, the quintessence of virtue, the beautiful wife remaining clothing. Lucretia physically resists his violence and of the nobleman Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus.2 brutality. A sculpture decorating the bed has fallen to the floor, In a lull in the war at Ardea in 509 BCE, the young the sheets are in disarray, and Lucretia’s necklace is broken, noblemen passed their idle time together at din- her pearls scattered. Both artists transmit emotion to the viewer, Lners and in drinking bouts. When the subject of their wives came Titian through her facial expression and Tintoretto in the vio- up, every man enthusiastically praised his own, and as their ri- lent corporeal chaos of the rape itself. valry grew, Collatinus proposed that they mount horses and see Lucretia survived the rape but committed suicide. After en- the disposition of the wives for themselves, believing that the best during the rape, she called her husband and her father to her test is what meets his eyes when a woman’s husband enters un- and asked them to seek revenge.
  • Aguirre-Santiago-Thesis-2013.Pdf

    Aguirre-Santiago-Thesis-2013.Pdf

    CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS: TYRANNICIDE AND VIOLENCE AS POLITICAL TOOLS IN REPUBLICAN ROME A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in History By Santiago Aguirre May 2013 The thesis of Santiago Aguirre is approved: ________________________ ______________ Thomas W. Devine, Ph.D. Date ________________________ ______________ Patricia Juarez-Dappe, Ph.D. Date ________________________ ______________ Frank L. Vatai, Ph.D, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii DEDICATION For my mother and father, who brought me to this country at the age of three and have provided me with love and guidance ever since. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you for all the sacrifices that you have made to help me fulfill my dreams. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I want to thank Dr. Frank L. Vatai. He helped me re-discover my love for Ancient Greek and Roman history, both through the various courses I took with him, and the wonderful opportunity he gave me to T.A. his course on Ancient Greece. The idea to write this thesis paper, after all, was first sparked when I took Dr. Vatai’s course on the Late Roman Republic, since it made me want to go back and re-read Livy. I also want to thank Dr. Patricia Juarez-Dappe, who gave me the opportunity to read the abstract of one of my papers in the Southwestern Social Science Association conference in the spring of 2012, and later invited me to T.A. one of her courses.
  • Marcus Junius Brutus David B

    Marcus Junius Brutus David B

    History Publications History 2007 Marcus Junius Brutus David B. Hollander Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/history_pubs Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the Political History Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ history_pubs/6. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the History at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Marcus Junius Brutus Abstract Marcus Junius Brutus (BREW-tuhs) came from noble stock. His reputed paternal ancestor, Lucius Junius Brutus, helped overthrow the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, in 510 B.C.E. and then became one of the first two consuls of the Roman Republic. His mother, Servilia Caepionis, was descended from Gaius Servilius Ahala, who had murdered the would-be tyrant Spurius Maelius in 439. Disciplines Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity | Political History Comments "Marcus Junius Brutus," in Great Lives from History: Notorious Lives, ed. Carl L. Bankston III, Salem Press (2007) 146-148. Used with permission of EBSCO Information Services, Ipswich, MA. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/history_pubs/6 Great Lives from History: Notorious Lives Marcus Junius Brutus by David B.
  • Virtue, Violence, and Victors: the Role of Pudicitia in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita

    Virtue, Violence, and Victors: the Role of Pudicitia in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita

    Ellen Snyder Virtue, Violence, and Victors: The Role of Pudicitia in Livy's Ab Urbe Condita Introduction This paper explores the highly gendered role of chastity (pudicitia) in the work of the Roman historian, Titus Livius. Livy, who lived from around 64 B.C.E to 12 C.E., composed a monumental work, the Ab Urbe Condita, which traced Rome's history from its mythic beginnings to 9 B.C.E. While only a fraction of the work remains, the Ab Urbe Condita provides insight into how one writer viewed Roman expansion and how he used the framework of gender to give shape to his vision of Rome's history. Pudicitia While rape within Livy's Ab Urbe Condita has received much scholarly attention, the role that pudicitia plays within this context and within the history as a whole has often been overlooked. Rebecca Langlands' recent monograph, Sexual Morality in Ancient Rome, has taken an important step towards addressing this lacuna in scholarship. Langlands (2006: 115), however, quickly passes over one key aspect of Livy's use of pudicitia; the term is applied only to women and children. In the works of other Roman authors of the late Republic and early Empire, pudicitia is presented as a value important to women and men alike. Livy's break with tradition calls for further exploration. It will be my argument that Livy's conception of pudicitia is an integral part of his construction of sexual violence and its relationship to Roman power at home and abroad. Pudicitia is presented as the possession of those who are most vulnerable to attack.
  • Painting Lucretia

    Painting Lucretia

    University of Wisconsin Milwaukee UWM Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations May 2013 Painting Lucretia: Fear and Desire : A Feminist Discourse on Representations by Artemisia Gentileschi and Tintoretto Amy Lynne Endres University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.uwm.edu/etd Part of the European History Commons, and the Theory and Criticism Commons Recommended Citation Endres, Amy Lynne, "Painting Lucretia: Fear and Desire : A Feminist Discourse on Representations by Artemisia Gentileschi and Tintoretto" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 91. https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/91 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by UWM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UWM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PAINTING LUCRETIA: FEAR AND DESIRE A FEMINIST DISCOURSE ON REPRESENTATIONS BY ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI AND TINTORETTO by Amy L. Endres A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Art History The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee May 2013 ABSTRACT PAINTING LUCRETIA: FEAR AND DESIRE A FEMINIST DISCOURSE ON REPRESENTATIONS BY ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI AND TINTORETTO by Amy L. Endres The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2013 Under the Supervision of Professor Tanya Tiffany The myth of the Roman heroine, Lucretia, celebrates feminine ideals of virtue and chastity and is considered pivotal to the establishment of the Roman Republic. Yet, her rape and suicide is also the fulcrum of uncomfortable tension about notions of female sexuality, morality, patriotism and heroism. My thesis is a comparative discussion of two intriguing and radically dissimilar paintings of Lucretia: Tarquin and Lucretia by Tintoretto and Lucretia by Artemisia Gentileschi.
  • Chapter 33 33.4 the Plebeians Rebel Rome Was Now a Repub- Lic, but the Patricians Held All the Power

    Chapter 33 33.4 the Plebeians Rebel Rome Was Now a Repub- Lic, but the Patricians Held All the Power

    CHAPTER In the Roman republic, elected senators debated and interpreted the laws. The Rise of the Roman Republic 33.1 Introduction In the last chapter, you learned about Etruscan and Greek influences on Rome. Early Rome was ruled by Etruscan kings from northern Italy. In this chapter, you will learn how the Romans overthrew the Etruscans and created a republic around 509 B.c.E. A republic is a form of government with elected leaders. Ancient Romans told an interesting story about the overthrow of their Etruscan masters. One day, two Etruscan princes went to see the famous oracle at Delphi, in Greece. A Roman named Lucius Junius Brutus traveled with them. At Delphi, the princes asked the oracle which of them would be the next king of Rome. The oracle answered, "The next man to have authority in Rome will be the man who first kisses his mother." Hearing these words, Brutus pretended to trip. He fell on his face, and his lips touched the Earth, "the mother of all living things." Back in Rome, Brutus led the revolt that drove out the Etruscan kings. He became one of the first leaders of the new republic. In this way, the oracle's mysterious words came true. The Romans were now free to govern them- selves. But not all Romans were equal. Power in the early republic belonged to rich men called patricians. The majority of Romans, the plebeians, had no say in the government. In this chapter, you will see how a long strug- gle between patricians and plebeians shaped the government of Rome.
  • The Rise of the Roman Republic

    The Rise of the Roman Republic

    The Rise of the Roman Republic 33.1 Introduction In the lastchapter, you learnedabout Etruscan and Greek influences on Rome.Early Romewas ruledby Etruscankings fiom northernltaly. In this chapter,you will learnhow the Romansoverthrew the Etruscansand created arepublic around 509 s.c.e.A republic is a fbrm of governmentwith electedleaders. AncientRomans told an interestingstory about the overthrowof their Etruscanmasters. One day,two Etruscanprinces went to seethe famous oracleat Delphi, in Greece.A Romannamed Lucius Junius Brutus traveled withthem. At Delphi,the princesasked the oraclewhich of them would be the next ng of Rome.The oracleanswered, "The next man to haveauthority in will be the man who first kisses mother."Hearing these words, tuspretended to trip. He fell on his , andhis lips touchedthe Earth, motherof all living things." Backin Rome.Brutus led the revolt droveout the Etruscankinss. He one of the first leadersof the republic.In thisway, the oracle's riouswords came true. The ns werenow free to sovernthem- ves.But not all Romanswere equal. r in the earlyrepublic belonged richmen called patricians. The iorityof Romans,the plebeians, no sayin the government.In this , you will seehow a long strug- betweenpatricians and plebeians the governmentof Rome. The Riseof theRoman Republic 317 33.2 Patricians and Plebeians Under Etruscan Rule Between616 and 509 s.c.e.,the Etruscansruled Rome. Senate a groupof 300men During this time, Romansociety was dividedinto two classes, electedto governRome in the patriciansand plebeians. I RomanRepublic Upper-classcitizens, called patricians, camefrom a small I consul oneof two chief group of wealthy landowners.Patricians comes from the Latin ( leadersin the Roman Republic word patres,which means"father." The patricianschose the I "fathersof the state,"the men who advisedthe Etruscanking.
  • Roman History the LEGENDARY PERIOD of the KINGS (753

    Roman History the LEGENDARY PERIOD of the KINGS (753

    Roman History THE LEGENDARY PERIOD OF THE KINGS (753 - 510 B.C.) Rome was said to have been founded by Latin colonists from Alba Longa, a nearby city in ancient Latium. The legendary date of the founding was 753 B.C.; it was ascribed to Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the daughter of the king of Alba Longa. Later legend carried the ancestry of the Romans back to the Trojans and their leader Aeneas, whose son Ascanius, or Iulus, was the founder and first king of Alba Longa. The tales concerning Romulus’s rule, notably the rape of the Sabine women and the war with the Sabines, point to an early infiltration of Sabine peoples or to a union of Latin and Sabine elements at the beginning. The three tribes that appear in the legend of Romulus as the parts of the new commonwealth suggest that Rome arose from the amalgamation of three stocks, thought to be Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan. The seven kings of the regal period begin with Romulus, from 753 to 715 B.C.; Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, from 534 to 510 B.C., the seventh and last king, whose tyrannical rule was overthrown when his son ravished Lucretia, the wife of a kinsman. Tarquinius was banished, and attempts by Etruscan or Latin cities to reinstate him on the throne at Rome were unavailing. Although the names, dates, and events of the regal period are considered as belonging to the realm of fiction and myth rather than to that of factual history, certain facts seem well attested: the existence of an early rule by kings; the growth of the city and its struggles with neighboring peoples; the conquest of Rome by Etruria and the establishment of a dynasty of Etruscan princes, symbolized by the rule of the Tarquins; the overthrow of this alien control; and the abolition of the kingship.