Tarquin and Government (May 12)
Tarquin was the grandson of the fifth king. After his grandfather died and Servius Tullias was made king, Tarquin's sister-in-law, Tullia, murdered his wife and her own husband so that she could marry Tarquin. She then convinced him to seize the throne from her father. Tarquin is convinced, and has him assassinated, along with the senators that disagree with him.
Later, Tarquin's son blackmails and assaults a matron, Lucretia, and she tells her family before she commits suicide. People then rose up against him and the whole family was thrown out of Rome.
Due to this ordeal, Romans never wanted another king. For centuries, this mindset prevented them from having a monarchy.
Rather than kings, two elected officials called consuls dealt justice, made laws, and commanded the army. While they were always patricians, they could only hold office for a year, and had the ability to veto one another,
Patricians held majority power, despite plebeians making up 98% of the population. this was because plebeians had to serve in the army, couldn't hold office, were threatened by debt slavery, and had no legal rights. Still, patricians' power was threatened in 5 B.C.E. by plebeians. Plebs refused t serve in the military until written laws were published (Twelve Tables) and tribunes were elected.
This was followed by the Roman Republic, which is the original design American democracy was based off of. Both have three branches of government, as well as a legal code, but they differ in official's power, term length, and legal rights.
Later, Tarquin's son blackmails and assaults a matron, Lucretia, and she tells her family before she commits suicide. People then rose up against him and the whole family was thrown out of Rome.
Due to this ordeal, Romans never wanted another king. For centuries, this mindset prevented them from having a monarchy.
Rather than kings, two elected officials called consuls dealt justice, made laws, and commanded the army. While they were always patricians, they could only hold office for a year, and had the ability to veto one another,
Patricians held majority power, despite plebeians making up 98% of the population. this was because plebeians had to serve in the army, couldn't hold office, were threatened by debt slavery, and had no legal rights. Still, patricians' power was threatened in 5 B.C.E. by plebeians. Plebs refused t serve in the military until written laws were published (Twelve Tables) and tribunes were elected.
This was followed by the Roman Republic, which is the original design American democracy was based off of. Both have three branches of government, as well as a legal code, but they differ in official's power, term length, and legal rights.
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