Book 5 is riddled with heroes and battles as the fledgling republic attempts to maintain stability as they fend off the multiple incursions of the angered Tarquin family.
In this book famous figures such as the Etruscan king Lars Porsenna and the valiant Romans Publius Valerius Publicola, Horatius Cocles, and Gaius Mucius (not surnamed Scaevola in Dionysius) make their appearance.
With the appearance of Publius Valerius Publicola, our narrative picks up with Plutarch again, although there is not a great amount of overlap as Plutarch skims over many of the key events for this period in favor of focusing on Publicola alone.
This book covers a period of about 12 years.
1 – 35 – The end of the monarchy (lasted 244 years) and the foundation of the Republic (beginning of the 68th Olympiad/507 BC)
1 – Settling of affairs, Tarquins are voted into perpetual banishment (cf. Livy 1.60-2.2, Publicola 1)
2 – Lictors are established, right of assembly restored to the people
3 – 35 – Fate of Tarquinius
3 – Tarquinius takes refuge in Tarquinii
4 – Tarquinius’ ambassadors arrive in Rome, explaining that the king wishes to address the people and defend himself
5 – Brutus responds in a speech that the people have already voted to banish him, ambassadors respectfully respond
5 – 6 – the consuls Brutus and Collatinus disagree on what to do with Tarquinius’ property, decision is put in front of the people instead
6 – 13 – Conspiracy to bring back Tarquinius (cf. Livy 2.3-5, Publicola 3-8 )
6 – Etruscans feign collecting his possessions but instead seek conspirators, including nephews of Collatinus, sons of Brutus, and brothers in law of Brutus
7 – The conspirators meet, the slave Vindicius goes to Publius Valerius and exposes the plot
8 – Brutus puts his sons to death
9 – Collatinus’ nephews are condemned, Collatinus and Brutus are at odds on how to punish them
10 – Brutus, in a speech, attacks Collatinus
11 – Spurius Lucretius, father-in-law of Collatinus, steps in as voice of reason
12 – Collatinus steps down from the consulship and moves to Lavinium, Publius Valerius becomes consul
13 – All conspirators are executed, and his lands are made public
14 – 18 – Rome at war with the Etruscans
14 – Preparations for war with those who are trying to bring back Tarquinius
15 – Arruns, son of Tarquinius, and Brutus face off against each other and execute each other
16 – 18 – Grief at the death of Brutus, Roman victory under Valerius (cf. Livy 2.6, Publicola 9)
17 – Funeral of Brutus
18 – DH’s final words of honor for Brutus
19 – Valerius gains the cognomen “Publicola” (cf. Livy 2.7-8, Publicola 10)
20 – In the year of the consulship of Valerius and Lucretius (506 BC according to DG), census and war taxes taken
21 – 35 – War with Lars Porsenna (cf. Livy 2.9-13, Publicola 16)
21 – Lars declares war on Rome
22 – Rome prepares for the Etruscan advance
22 – 25 – Battle with Lars
23 – 25 – Horatius Cocles at the bridge
26 – Etruscans ravage the land, Latins refuse to intervene (having made treaties with both the Romans and Tarquinius)
27 – 29 – Gaius Mucius Cordus attempts to assassinate Porsenna, threatens that hundreds of Romans are ready to assassinate him (note that the famous right hand in the brazier scene is absent, he doesn’t even have the cognomen Scaevola)
30 – 35 – Peace is made between Rome and Porsenna
33 – Cloelia and hostage women attempt an escape
34 – 35 – Porsenna gives up friendship with Tarquinius, the Romans send royal insignia to Porsenna, Mucius is given public lands (called in DH’s time the Mucian Meadows), Cloelia is given a bronze statue
(503BC - 495BC)
36 – Arruns, son of Porsenna dies, Etruscan Quarter is created in Rome (cf. Livy 2.14)
37 – 47 – Wars with the Sabines (503 BC) (cf. Livy 2.16-18, Publicola 20-22)
37 - 39 – First Sabine war which begins with brigandage. Romans are victorious and a joint triumph with both consuls (Marcus Valerius and Publius Postumius) is given
40 – 43 – War with the Sabines again induced by Sextus Tarquinius
40 – Titus Claudius deserts the Sabines and moves to Rome, bringing the Claudian family to the city
41 – A deserter informs the consuls of Sabine plans
43 – Fidenae is taken by the Romans and a triumph is celebrated
44 – 49 – Third Sabine War
44 – Romans suffer defeat
45 – The consul Postumius is blamed for the defeat, Sabine embassy demands a return of the Tarquinii to Rome
46 – Things look bleak for Rome, but they take courage in a portent of flaming javelins, Rome defeats the Sabines
47 – Triumph for Menenius and ovation for Postumius, DH’s Greek etymology for the Latin word ovatio (in the Greek he writes οὐαστής/ouastēs as a corruption of εὐαστής/euastēs)
48 – Death of Publius Valerius Publicola
49 – The Sabine war finally ends
50 – The Tarquins keep attempting to regain control of Rome (499 BC, 70th Olympiad) through the Latin cities
50 – Many of the Latin cities are plundering Roman lands and are forming an alliance against Rome
51 – Tarquinius renews alliance with Latin cities, conspiracy against Rome thwarted
52 – Battle for control of Fidenae
53 – 56 – Tarquinius attempts to stir up civil war in Rome
54 – The consul Sulpicius is informed of the plot and exposes it
55 – Sulpicius is given permission from the Senate to root out conspirators
56 – 57 – DH gives details of apprehending the conspirators
58 – 59 – More fighting with Fidenae
60 – Rome captures Fidenae
61 – The Latin cities swear, under pressure from Tarquinius and his son-in-law Mamilius, to fight against Rome as a united front (DH lists 29 towns!)
62 – Various Latin towns make complaints against Rome
63 – 64 – First hints of issues between rich and poor in Rome (cf. Livy 2.23)
63 – Debt causes hesitation to take up arms.
64 – 65 – Son of Publicola, Marcus Valerius, empathizes with debt ridden and he advises debt relief
66 – 68 – Appius Claudius Sabinus recommends an opposing course
69 – Middle ground views held by many
70 – Office of dictator is created to deal with the civil unrest
71 – Titus Larcius chosen as first Roman dictator
72 – Details of how they chose a dictator
73 – 74 – Etymology of “dictator” and the office’s Greek origin
75 – 76 – The dictator Larcius uses his power to resolve the soldiery problem, resolves the war with the Latins
77 – Larcius honorably lays down the dictatorship and DH criticizes Sulla for his handling of the office 400 years later
Header: Horatius at the Bridge, Charles Le Brun, 1642-3