Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
Encyclopedia
Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus (fl. 6th century BC) was one of the four leaders of the revolution which overthrew the Roman monarchy, and became one of the first two consuls
of Rome
in 509 BC, together with Lucius Junius Brutus
. He is also the husband of Lucretia
, the noblewoman raped by Sextus Tarquinius
.
Collatinus was the son of Egerius
, himself the son of Aruns (son of Demaratus) himself the brother of Tarquinius Priscus
(who was the fifth king of Rome). Collatinus derived his cognomen thus; his grandfather Egerius was placed in command of the town Collatia which had been captured by Tarquinius Priscus, and the next generation also resided in that town. Thus the grandson was surnamed Collatinus to indicate his place of birth or origin or nearest association.
According to legend, ancient Rome had seven kings
. The last of these kings, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
, was overthrown in the year 510 BCE after his son Sextus Tarquinius
had raped Collatinus's wife, Lucretia
. This revolt was led by the aforementioned Lucius Junius Brutus (believed to be an ancestor of the Marcus Brutus who conspired to kill Julius Caesar
almost 500 years later). After overthrowing the seventh king of Rome, the Roman Republic
was founded. Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus joined Lucius Junius Brutus in the first shared consulship.
Collatinus's time as consul was brief. Livy
claims that the people could not endure the rule of any of the hated race of the Tarquins, and thus the innocent Collatinus was persuaded by his colleague and the other nobles to resign his office and retire from Rome. He withdrew from Rome, taking himself and his possessions to Lavinium
. His colleague, Brutus, escaped this stigma, despite also being a scion of the dynasty, because his family name was Junius and not Tarquinius. Collatinus withdrew with all his property to Lavinium, and Publius Valerius Publicola
was elected in his place, who then chose Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus
, Lucretia's aging father as the other consul, upon Brutus' death.
as quoted in Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1870).http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0822.html
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 509 BC, together with Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus was the founder of the Roman Republic and traditionally one of the first consuls in 509 BC. He was claimed as an ancestor of the Roman gens Junia, including Marcus Junius Brutus, the most famous of Caesar's assassins.- Background :...
. He is also the husband of Lucretia
Lucretia
Lucretia is a legendary figure in the history of the Roman Republic. According to the story, told mainly by the Roman historian Livy and the Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus , her rape by the king's son and consequent suicide were the immediate cause of the revolution that overthrew the...
, the noblewoman raped by Sextus Tarquinius
Sextus Tarquinius
Sextus Tarquinius was a Roman prince, the third and youngest son of the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus . He is primarily known for his rape of Lucretia, daughter of Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus, wife of Collatinus....
.
Collatinus was the son of Egerius
Egerius
Aruns Egerius Tarquinius was a member of the royal family of early Rome.His father was Aruns, son of Demaratus the Corinthian and a noblewoman Princess from Tarquinii....
, himself the son of Aruns (son of Demaratus) himself the brother of Tarquinius Priscus
Tarquinius Priscus
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, also called Tarquin the Elder or Tarquin I, was the legendary fifth King of Rome from 616 BC to 579 BC. His wife was Tanaquil.-Early life:According to Livy, Tarquinius Priscus came from the Etruria...
(who was the fifth king of Rome). Collatinus derived his cognomen thus; his grandfather Egerius was placed in command of the town Collatia which had been captured by Tarquinius Priscus, and the next generation also resided in that town. Thus the grandson was surnamed Collatinus to indicate his place of birth or origin or nearest association.
According to legend, ancient Rome had seven kings
Roman Kingdom
The Roman Kingdom was the period of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a monarchical form of government of the city of Rome and its territories....
. The last of these kings, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was the legendary seventh and final King of Rome, reigning from 535 BC until the popular uprising in 509 BC that led to the establishment of the Roman Republic. He is more commonly known by his cognomen Tarquinius Superbus and was a member of the so-called Etruscan...
, was overthrown in the year 510 BCE after his son Sextus Tarquinius
Sextus Tarquinius
Sextus Tarquinius was a Roman prince, the third and youngest son of the last king of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus . He is primarily known for his rape of Lucretia, daughter of Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus, wife of Collatinus....
had raped Collatinus's wife, Lucretia
Lucretia
Lucretia is a legendary figure in the history of the Roman Republic. According to the story, told mainly by the Roman historian Livy and the Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus , her rape by the king's son and consequent suicide were the immediate cause of the revolution that overthrew the...
. This revolt was led by the aforementioned Lucius Junius Brutus (believed to be an ancestor of the Marcus Brutus who conspired to kill Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
almost 500 years later). After overthrowing the seventh king of Rome, the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
was founded. Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus joined Lucius Junius Brutus in the first shared consulship.
Collatinus's time as consul was brief. Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
claims that the people could not endure the rule of any of the hated race of the Tarquins, and thus the innocent Collatinus was persuaded by his colleague and the other nobles to resign his office and retire from Rome. He withdrew from Rome, taking himself and his possessions to Lavinium
Lavinium
Lavinium was a port city of Latium, to the south of Rome, at a median distance between the Tiber river at Ostia and Anzio. The coastline then, as now, was a long strip of beach. Lavinium was on a hill at the southernmost edge of the Silva Laurentina, a dense laurel forest, and the northernmost...
. His colleague, Brutus, escaped this stigma, despite also being a scion of the dynasty, because his family name was Junius and not Tarquinius. Collatinus withdrew with all his property to Lavinium, and Publius Valerius Publicola
Publius Valerius Publicola
Publius Valerius Publicola was one of four Roman aristocrats who led the overthrow of the monarchy, and became a Roman consul, the colleague of Lucius Junius Brutus in 509 BC, traditionally considered the first year of the Roman Republic...
was elected in his place, who then chose Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus
Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus
Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus is a semi-legendary figure in early Roman history. He was the first Suffect Consul of Rome and was also the father of Lucretia, whose rape by Sextus Tarquinius, followed by her suicide, resulted in the dethronement of King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, therefore...
, Lucretia's aging father as the other consul, upon Brutus' death.
Sources
- LivyLivyTitus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
I 38 57 - 60, II 2 - Dionysius of HalicarnassusDionysius of HalicarnassusDionysius of Halicarnassus was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His literary style was Attistic — imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime.-Life:...
IV 64 - Cassius Dio Frag. 24
- CiceroCiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
de Republicae. II 25
-
- de Off. III 10
as quoted in Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1870).http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/0822.html