Livy (Titus Livius): 59 BC-AD 17. His work, Ab Urbe Condita Libri "Books from the Foundation of the City", covers Roman history from the origins to 9 BC in 142 books, of which only 35 books have survived.

Foundation Legend: Aeneas, son of Anchises and Venus (she's a goddess), and a refugee from Troy, sailed with his band of Trojan followers to the coast of Latium and reached the territory of Laurentum. After defeating the Rutulians and Etruscans in war, he married Lavinia, the daughter of the native king, Latinus and founded Lavinium. After thirty years Ascanius, the son of Aeneas leaves Lavinium  to found his own city, Alba Longa. Alba Longa was ruled by kings for roughly 300 years when Amulius deposed his older brother Numitor in order to make himself king, and forced Numitor's daughter Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin. With the help of the god Mars Rhea became pregnant with twins, Romulus and Remus. Amulius ordered that they be drowned in the Tiber River, but they were washed onto dry land, nursed by a she-wolf, and raised by a shepherd and his wife. When they reached maturity, they killed the usurper Amulius and restored Numitor to the throne of Alba Longa. Then the twins decided to found a city of their own at the place where they had been exposed on the Tiber. That city was Rome.

The Seven Kings and their traditional dates (covering a period of 244 years):
 

• Romulus (753-716): Warrrior-king. Selection of 100 senators (patres 'fathers').  Abduction of Sabine women. Division of people into 3 Tribes and 30 curiae.
• Numa Pompilius (715-673): Priest-king. Priesthoods and Pontifex Maximus, the state authority on all religious matters. 12-month calendar.
• Tullus Hostilius (674-642): Warrior-king. Destruction of Alba. Construction of  Senate House (Curia Hostilia).
• Ancus Martius (642-617): Janiculum included in boundaries of city. First bridge over the Tiber, Pons Sublicius. Foundation of Ostia at mouth of Tiber.
• Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (616-579): Etruscan king; came to Rome from Tarquinii; son of a Greek from Corinth (Demaratus) and an Etruscan mother.  Increased number of senators. Drainage of areas between hills. Vowed  temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline.
• Servius Tullius (578-535): Reform of constitution; Census; 'Servian' Wall; Sanctuary of Diana on the Aventine.
• Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (534-510): The last king; Completed temple of Capitoline Jupiter; Cloaca Maxima (city drain); Tyrannical behavior (citizens  forced to work on construction projects);  his son, Sextus Tarquinius rapes  Lucretia.
• 509: Lucius Tarquinius Superbus banished from the city. First consuls elected, Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus.

• Foundation legend: Rome a city with a destiny, with a past connected to the Trojan War.
• Monarchy: foundation for the development of social, political, religious institutions.
• Importance of religion (e.g. portents, auspices) and ritualization of public actions  (e.g. declarations of war and treaties).
• Growth of Rome a gradual process: addition of new citizens and new territory as a  result of war.
 

•  Back to top of page.
• Back to Dr. Possanza's Class Page
• To the Classics Home Page