The Legendary Kings of ancient Rome
There were seven kings that reigned Rome from 753 BC to 509 BC. Romulus, who was the first king, is the founding father of Rome. Romulus began to build the city of Rome on Palatine Hill in 753 BC and he invited people of all classes to be citizens of his city. Romulus gave wives to his citizens by inviting neighbouring wives to a festival where he captured young women. This was called the Rape of the Sabine Women and to not anger the king of Sabine, he shared his kingship with him. Romulus then selected a hundred men to be part of the Roman Senate and their descendants were then called patricians. He established three centuries of equites named Ramnes (Romans), Tities (after the Sabine king) and Luceres(Etruscans). He also divided the public into thirty curiae and the curiae formed the voting units in the Comitia Curiata. After his death, Romulus was called the war god, Quirinus and was not only one of the three major gods of Rome but was also the defied likeness of the city of Rome.
Numa Pompilius reigned in Rome from 716 BC to 673 BC. Numa was chosen from the Senate as a Sabine and was reputed for justice and piety. Numa's reign was marked by peace and religious reform. A new temple of Janus was built after peace began with Rome's neighbours. The Vestal Virgins and the Salii were established as well as the three flamines for Mars, Jupiter and Quirinus. Numa reformed the Roman calendar by modifying it for the solar and lunar year as well as by adding the months January and February to bring the total number of months to twelve.
Tullus Hostilius had a warlike behaviour and a lack of respect to the gods. He waged war against Alba Longa, Fidenae, Veii and Sabines. The city of Alba Longa was completely destroyed at this time and taken over the Romans. Tullus only began to worship the gods when he fell ill and became superstitious. When Tullus begged some help from Jupiter, Jupiter burned the king and his house to ashes with a lightning bolt. A new home for the Senate was built at this time as well called the Curia Hostilia. He reigned for thirty one years.
Numa's grandson, Ancus Marcius came into reign in 640 BC as the fourth king of Rome. He was peaceful and religious and was much like his grandfather. He only made his army fight when his borders needed defending. Rome's first prison was built on the Capitoline Hill during his reign. The plebeian class was formed in Rome also and he reigned for 25 years with a natural death. This ended the reign of the Latin-Sabine Kings in Rome.
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus was the first Etruscan king. He waged wars against the Etruscans and the Sabines and made Rome very wealthy. One hundred new members were added to the Senate during his reign from the Etruscans. Rome's great sewer systems were built, Cloaca Maxima, and the Roman Forum had begun to be built along with the founding of the Roman games. The Circus Maximus was built at this time, a giant stadium used for chariot races. The temple-fortress of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill started to have been built as well. Priscus was killed after thirty eight years of reign by one of Ancus Marcius's sons. Roman symbols of military and civil offices and the Roman Triumph were introduced during this time.
Priscus's son-in-law, Servius Tullius was the second king of Etruscan birth in Rome. He also fought successful wars against the Etruscans. He built the first walls to encircle the Seven Hills of Rome called the pomerium. The world's first census was instituted by Tullius and he divided the citizens into five different classes and formed the Century Assembly. People within Rome were divided into four urban tribes called the Tribal Assembly. The Temple of Diana was constructed on the Aventine Hill. His reforms brought a major change to the Roman way of life. He reigned for 44 years and was assassinated, led by his own daughter and her husband, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.
The final king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, was the son of Priscus and the son-in-law of Servius. He fought a lot of wars against Rome's neighbours, such as the Volscii, Gabii and Rutuli. He made Rome head of the Latin cities. He completed Priscus's works on the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the Cloaca Maxima and the Circus Maximus. But he disrespected the Roman customs and the Roman Senate. Tensions gave rise when the king's son raped one of the Roman nobles' daughters. The one who was raped told her parents of the attack and committed suicide because of this great dishonour. Four men, Brutus, Collatinus, Poplicola and Tripicitinus, started a revolution ending with Superbus and his family deposed and expelled from Rome in 509 BC. Because of the revolution, the Latin for King, Rex, was said to be a negative statement up until the fall of Rome. Brutus and Collatinus were Rome's first consuls marking the start of the Roman Republic.