Arruns Tarquinius (brother of Tarquin the Proud)
Added citations to Roman and modern sources, and toned down the language in the last paragraph. Still needs a source or two relating the François tomb inscription to the story of Macstarna.
| ← Previous revision | Revision as of 13:56, 20 April 2026 | ||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
{{For| other people of this name|Arruns (disambiguation){{!}}Arruns}} |
{{For| other people of this name|Arruns (disambiguation){{!}}Arruns}} |
||
{{Multiple issues| |
{{Multiple issues| |
||
{{Tone|date=April 2026}} |
|||
{{More citations needed|date=April 2026}} |
{{More citations needed|date=April 2026}} |
||
{{One source|date=April 2026}} |
{{One source|date=April 2026}} |
||
}} |
}} |
||
'''Arruns Tarquinius''' was the brother of [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]], the seventh and last [[King of Rome]]. |
'''Arruns Tarquinius''' was the brother of [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]], the seventh and last [[King of Rome]]. |
||
==Family and origins== |
==Family and origins== |
||
According to most ancient authors, Arruns and his brother were the sons of [[Lucius Tarquinius Priscus]], the fifth Roman king, and [[Tanaquil]]. However, in some sources they are described as grandsons; their father may have been a certain [[Gnaeus Tarquinius]], who according to an [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] tradition was defeated and killed by the heroes Aulus and [[Caelius Vibenna]], together with a certain ''Macstarna''. Apparently the Etruscan equivalent of the Latin word ''magister'', Macstarna has been identified with [[Servius Tullius]], the sixth King of Rome. |
According to most ancient authors, Arruns and his brother were the sons of [[Lucius Tarquinius Priscus]], the fifth Roman king, and [[Tanaquil]]. However, in some sources they are described as grandsons;Livy, ''History of Rome'', i. 46; Dionysius of Halicarnassus, ''Roman Antiquities'', iv. 6, 7.William Smith, "Tarquinius", in ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology", vol. III, pp. 976–980. their father may have been a certain [[Gnaeus Tarquinius]], who according to an [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] tradition was defeated and killed by the heroes Aulus and [[Caelius Vibenna]], together with a certain ''Macstarna''. Apparently the Etruscan equivalent of the Latin word ''magister'', Macstarna has been identified with [[Servius Tullius]], the sixth King of Rome.William Smith, "Tullius, Servius" in ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. III, pp. 1184–1190. |
||
==Servius Tullius and the Tarquins== |
==Servius Tullius and the Tarquins== |
||
According to legend, Servius had come to the palace as a child, following the capture of [[Corniculum (ancient Latin town)|Corniculum]] by Tarquinius Priscus. Tanaquil, who was skilled in prophecy, discovered his potential for greatness by various omens. When the elder Tarquin was assassinated, Tanaquil gave out that he was merely wounded, and installed Servius as regent, preferring him to her own sons. The Etruscan tradition may preserve an account of a revolt by Tarquin's sons against Servius' magistracy. Servius married a daughter of the elder Tarquin, and in turn he gave his own daughters to Arruns and Lucius Tarquinius. |
According to legend, Servius had come to the palace as a child, following the capture of [[Corniculum (ancient Latin town)|Corniculum]] by Tarquinius Priscus.Livy, i. 39; Dionysius, iv. 1. Tanaquil, who was skilled in prophecy, discovered his potential for greatness by various omens.Livy, i. 39; Dionysius, iv. 2. When the elder Tarquin was assassinated, Tanaquil gave out that he was merely wounded, and installed Servius as regent, preferring him to her own sons.Livy, i. 41; Dionysius, iv. 4, 5. The Etruscan tradition may preserve an account of a revolt by Tarquin's sons against Servius' magistracy. Servius married a daughter of the elder Tarquin,Dionysius, iv. 3. and in turn he gave his own daughters to Arruns and Lucius Tarquinius.Livy, i. 42; Dionysius, iv. 28. |
||
==Murder and aftermath== |
==Murder and aftermath== |
||
Arruns Tarquinius was mild and unassuming, while his brother was ambitious. Arruns' wife, known to history as [[Tullia Minor]], as she was the younger daughter, was similarly ambitious, while her elder sister was not. Tullia sought to place her husband on the throne, which would require her father's death. But as Arruns lacked the ambition to overthrow his father-in-law, Tullia contrived his murder, and that of her own sister, that she might marry Lucius. Once these deeds were accomplished, she and Lucius plotted her father's destruction. |
Arruns Tarquinius was mild and unassuming, while his brother was ambitious. Arruns' wife, known to history as [[Tullia Minor]], as she was the younger daughter, was similarly ambitious, while her elder sister was not.Livy, i. 46; Dionysius, iv. 28. Tullia sought to place her husband on the throne, which would require her father's death. But as Arruns lacked the ambition to overthrow his father-in-law, Tullia contrived his murder, and that of her own sister, that she might marry Lucius. Once these deeds were accomplished, she and Lucius plotted her father's destruction.Livy, i. 46, 47; Dionysius, iv. 28–30. |
||
In a palace coup, the pair deposed and murdered the king, and Lucius seized the throne.Livy, i. 47, 48; Dionysius, iv. 30–39. Lucius' second son was named after his murdered brother; but it was the pride and arrogance of Lucius' sons that brought about the downfall of the Roman monarchy.Livy, i. 58–60; Dionysius, iv. 63. The younger Arruns fell in battle against the consul [[Lucius Junius Brutus]] in 509 BC.Livy, ii. 6; Dionysius, v. 15; Plutarch, "The Life of Publicola", 9.>> |
|||
==References== |
==References== |
||
{{reflist}} |
{{reflist}} |
||
==Bibliography== |
|||
* Titus Livius ([[Livy]]), ''[[History of Rome (Livy)|History of Rome]]''. |
|||
* [[Dionysius of Halicarnassus]], ''Romaike Archaiologia'' (Roman Antiquities). |
|||
* Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ([[Plutarch]]), ''[[Parallel Lives|Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans]]'' (Parallel Lives). |
|||
{{authority control}} |
{{authority control}} |
||
