Vindicius was a Roman slave. He was said to be the person who discovered papers exposing
Tarquin's plot to regain power, after the
overthrowal of the Roman Monarchy. These papers proved that Tarquin, who had been attempting to have his possessions legally restored to him, was doing so in order to be allowed into Rome again, allowing him to kill consuls
Lucius Collatinus and
Brutus
Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC), often referred to simply as Brutus, was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Serv ...
, and reinstall himself. Vindicius gave these papers to
Publius Valerius Publicola
Publius Valerius Poplicola or Publicola (died 503 BC) was one of four Roman aristocrats who led the overthrow of the monarchy, and became a Roman consul, the colleague of Lucius Junius Brutus in 509 BC, traditionally considered the first year o ...
on account of the "affable and kindly ways of the man."
Vindicius was later vindicated for this actions for the Republic. He was given the property which was about to restored to Tarquin. Livy claims his name is the etymological root of the wor
vindication[Livy 2.5]
References
{{ancientRome-bio-stub
6th-century BC Romans
Ancient Roman slaves and freedmen