Book Four finishes the Roman monarchy with the reigns of Servius Tullius and Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.
The book ends with Tarquinius being blockaded from entering Rome as Brutus and Valerius have risen up and essentially begun founding the Republic
4th year of the 50th Olympiad
(576BC - 532BC)
1 – 9 – From birth to kingship (cf. Livy 1.42)
1 – 2 – Accounts of Tullius’ origin
3 – Tullius befriends the previous king, L. Tarquinius Priscus
4 – 5 – Taking over of the kingship by Tarquinia for Tullius
6 – 7 – Disagreement with historians who say that the children left by Tarquinius were his sons (as opposed to his grandsons)
8 – 9 – Funeral of Tarquinius
10 - 40 Reign of Tullius
10 – 12 – Tullius fears having seized the kingship without interreges and takes precautions to secure the contentment of the people.
13 – Civil deeds (cf. Livy 1.43-44)
13 – 14 – Dividing of public lands, expansion and division of the city
15 – Division of people into tribes; division of surrounding lands for security and herdsmen; establishment of the Paganalia
16 – 22 – Census and Servian constitution
16 – 18 – Equipping of infantry and cavalry
19 – Financial details of levying troops
20 – 21 – Details of century voting to the benefit of the wealthy
22 – Consecration of census and assemblies
23 – Philosophical exploration of the nature of free vs enslaved peoples; Servius convinces the wealthy to allow freedmen to participate in the government
24 – Digression to discuss Roman slavery; degradation of once noble customs (such as slavery and manumission according to DH) into the way the customs are abused in his time.
25 – 26 – Unity and Roman leadership of the Latin tribes
25 – Greek inspirations
26 – Latins ought to rule their neighbors and Romans ought to be head
27 – War with the Etruscans; building of temple of Fortune
28 – 39 – Assassination of Servius Tullius (cf. Livy 1.46-48)
28 – Progeny of Tullius and Tarquinia
29 – 30 – Tullia’s plot with the younger Tarquinius
31 – 32 – Tarquinius argues his right to the throne
33 – 36 – Tullius responds, shaming the conspirators
37 – The people support Tullius
38 – Tarquinius takes the throne anyway
39 – Tullius murdered and his body desecrated by his daughter’s carriage
40 – The end of Tullius
4th year of the 61st Olympiad
532BC - 509BC
41 – Tarquinius solidifies power (cf. Livy 1.49-53)
41 – Reason for the name “superbus” (the proud)
42 – Expulsion of all who might threaten him
43 – 44 – Oppression of the plebians through taxes and hard labor
45 – Tarquinius assembles a bodyguard
46 – 48 – Tensions between Tarquinius and the dissenter Turnus (who is buried alive)
49 – Relationships with surrounding peoples (cf. Livy 1.53-56)
49 – supremacy over the Latins and alliance with the Hernicans and Volscans
50 – 55 – War with the Sabines; Suessa; Fidenae; Gabini
56 – 58 – Deceit of people at Gabini by Sextus Tarquinius; execution of many good citizens
59 – 61 – Completion of the temple of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva; a head is found giving the name to the Capitoline Hill
62 – Sibylline books come to Rome
63 - 85 – Downfall of the Tarquins (cf. Livy 1.57-60)
63 – Tarquinius founds the colonies of Signia and Circeii; omens of the coming rape of Lucretia by Sextus
64 - 67 – The rape of Lucretia
68 – 75 – Marcus Junius Brutus and Publius Valerius decide to avenge Lucretia
76 – Establishment of the consules (including the reason for the Greek ὕπατοι) and the res publica
77 – 83 – Brutus urges the people to ally with him in expulsing the Tarquins
84 – Spurius Lucretius as interrex; Brutus and Collatinus confirmed as consuls
85 – Tarquinius finds himself shut out of the city
Header: Lucretia Rembrant 1664