Book 3 focuses on the Roman kings Tullus Hostilius, Ancus Marcius, and Lucius Tarquinius Priscus
Here our narrative with Plutarch drops off. He will not pick up again until Life of Publicola and the beginning of the Roman Republic.
Dionysius' narrative of Tullus Hostilius is almost exclusively military focused and is marked by long speeches from opposing leaders.
That of Ancus Marcius is very brief, covering both military and civil matters.
The reign of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus involves lengthy descriptions of raids and campaigns against neighboring peoples and various civil achievements and constructions. The book ends with the murder of Priscus by the unhappy sons of Ancus Marcius.
670BC - 638BC
2nd year of the 2th Olympiad
The reign of Tullus Hostilius corresponds with Livy 1.22-32 (see specific references below)
1 - Family history of Tullus; distribution of formerly regal lands to the needy (cf. Livy 1.22)
2 - 34 - Military exploits of Tullus Hostilius
2 - 22 - War with the Albans
2 - 5 - Grievances between Alba Longa and Rome
6 - Dangers of the Veientes and Fidenates to the Albans and Romans
7 - 11 - Alban Mettius Fufetius and Tullus Hostilius go back and forth over peace between the cities and the question of which city ought to have supremacy.
12 - 17 - A resolution is made; speeches leading up to the battle of the Horatii and Curiatii. DH considers the Horatii to be Roman and the Curiatii to be Alban. Livy (1.24) points out there are conflicting accounts of who belongs to whom, but ultimately sides with DH.
18 - 20 - The battle of the Horatii and Curiatii (cf. Livy 1.24-25)
21 - Death of Horatian sister (cf. Livy 1.26)
22 - Burial of the fallen; triumph of Tullus Hostilius; purification of the city for Horatius' murder of his sister (cf. Livy 1.26)
23 - 31 - War with the Veientes and Fidenates; impending treachery of Fufetius against the Romans; destruction of Alba Longa (cf. Livy 1.27-30)
23 - Fufetius makes a speech to the Albans declaring his intent to betray Rome
24 - Albans defect to the Veientes and Fidenates
25 - Fidenates suspect an Alban double-cross and flee battle; Tullus captures the Veientian camp
26 - 29 - Tullus feigns ignorance then exposes the Alban treachery; Alba Longa is demolished in punishment
30 - 31 - Movement of Albans into Rome
32 - 33 - War with the Sabines (cf. Livy 1.30)
34 - War with the Latin cities (cf. Livy 1.32) DH notes that this war is distinct as it is more a series of raids as opposed to the pitched battle lines and slaughters that he sees defined the previous wars.
35 - Death of Tullus Hostilius 638BC (cf. Livy 1.32)
Died in a housefire with his entire family which is grim. DH notes possible treacherous circumstances around his death (as opposed to a divine lightning strike). The son of Numa, Ancus Marcius may have conspired to murder the king, but DH doesn't buy it.
638BC - 614BC
or as Dionysius puts it: 2nd year of the 35th Olympiad (you know, the one in which Sphairos the Lacedemonian won the prize) until the 2nd year of the 45th Olympiad (remember, that was the one where Kleodas, a Theban, won the prize)
NB: I love the Olympiad system. So much better than Livy's consular year system. I just find it interesting and mildly amusing when he tells us who won in what Olympiad. It makes me wonder how famous and significant these specific athletes were, especially since DH does not always give us champions for Olympiads
(cf. Livy 1.32-34)
36 – return to Numan policy
37 – 42 – Military exploits
37 – 40 – Fighting with Latin neighbors
41 – War with the Veientes and Volscians
42 – War with Sabines
43 – 45 – Civil Administration
43 – Adding of the Aventine hill to Rome
44 – Building of Ostia
45- Janiculum hill and pons sublicius added to Rome; death of Ancus Marcius
614 BC - 576 BC
(2nd year of the 41st Olympiad - 4th year of the 5th Olympiad)
46 - 48 - Tarquinius is chosen; Ancestry of Lucumo (Lucius) and move to Rome; prodigy of the eagle; Lucius' favor with King Marcius (cf. Livy 1.34)
49 - 66 - Priscus' military career (cf. Livy 1.37-38)
49 - 54 - War with Latin cities
49 - Campaigns against the Apiolani and Crustumerians
50 - Fighting with the Nomentans, cities of Collatia and Corniculum
51 - 53 - Latins ally with the Sabines and Etruscans against Rome
54 - Peace with the Latins
55 - 66 - War with the Sabines and Etruscans
55 - 56 - War with Sabines
57 - Peace with Sabines, war with Etruscans; Veii gets caught in the middle of it
58 - 59 - Final battles with the Etruscans and their allies
60 - 61 - Peace with the Etruscans; acquisition of the triumphal insignia, toga, and fasces from the Etruscans as part of the peace
62 - 66 - War with the Sabines, peace is finally reached
67 - Priscus' civil achievements (cf. Livy 1.36)
67 - Increasing of the senate roll from 200 to 300; increase Vestal roll from 2 to 6; punishment of Vestals is devised by Priscus (described in more detail in DH 2.67); construction of permanent city walls and city sewers
68 - Construction of Circus Maximus
69 - 71 - Construction of Temple of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva; story of auspices taken to do this
70 - 71 - Story of the most celebrated augur, Nevius Attius
72 - 73 - Death of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (cf. Livy 1.40-41)
Header: Oath of the Horatii (1784), by Jacques-Louis David