Tarquinius Superbus - Last King of Rome
Tarquin the Proud
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (d. 496 B.C.)Tarquin the Proud, the last king of Rome, ruled from 534-510. Tarquin the Proud was the son or grandson of Tarquinius Priscus and son-in-law of Servius Tullius, whom he is thought to have murdered. Tarquin's despotic reign earned him the title superbus (proud, haughty). It was his son, Tarquinius Sextus, who raped Lucretia, the wife of his cousin Tarquinius Collatinus. As a result of a revolt headed by his nephew Lucius Junius Brutus and Tarquinius Collatinus, Tarquinius Superbus and his family (ironically, including Collatinus) were expelled from Rome.
Along with the end of the Etruscan kings of Rome, the power of the Etruscans over Latium weakened. Rome replaced the Etruscan rulers with a Republic. Although there are some who believe there was a gradual transition to the two consul system of the Republic, the Fasti Consulares list the annual consuls from the end of the regal period.
Also see
Twelve Tablets
Abduction of Verginia
Tarquinius Priscus
Haruspicy
Early Rome
Livy on the death of Tullius
