The overthrow of the Roman monarchy, a political revolution in
ancient Rome
In historiography
Historiography is the study of the methods of historian
( 484– 425 BC) was a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC and one of the earliest historians whose work survives.
A historian is a person who stud ...
, took place around 509 BC and resulted in the expulsion of the last
king of Rome
The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the chief magistrate
Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Historically, the two different meanings of magistrate have often overlapped and ...
,
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus (died 495 BC) was the legendary seventh and final king of Rome
The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the chief magistrate
Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in ...
, and the establishment of the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Rēs pūblica Rōmāna ) was a state of the classical Roman civilization, run through public
In public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an indiv ...
.
The semi-legendary Roman histories
tell that while the king was away on campaign, his son
Sextus Tarquinius
Sextus Tarquinius was the third and youngest son of the last king of Rome
The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the chief magistrate
Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Hist ...
raped a noblewoman,
Lucretia
According to Roman tradition, Lucretia ( /luːˈkriːʃə/ ''loo-KREE-shə'', Classical Latin
Classical Latin is the form of Latin language
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the ...

. Afterwards she revealed the offence to various Roman noblemen, and then committed suicide. The Roman noblemen, led by
Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus ( 6th century BC) is the semi-legendary Organizational founder, founder of the Roman Republic, and traditionally one of its first Roman consul, consuls in 509 BC. He was reputedly responsible for the expulsion of his uncle the ...
, obtained the support of the
Roman aristocracy
Social class in ancient Rome
In historiography, ancient Rome is Roman people, Roman civilization from the founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encompas ...
and the
people
A people is any plurality of person
A person (plural people or persons) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason
Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic
Logic is an interdisciplinary field wh ...
to expel the king and his family and to institute a republic. The
Roman army
The Roman army (: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of , from the (to c. 500 BC) to the (500–31 BC) and the (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval continuation, the (historiographically known as the ). It i ...
supported Brutus, and the king went into exile. Despite a number of attempts by Lucius Tarquinius Superbus to reinstate the monarchy, the citizens established a republic and thereafter elected two
consuls
A consul is an official representative of the government of one Sovereign state, state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between th ...
annually to rule the city.
Background: The Kingdom
Roman history held that seven kings of Rome reigned from the
establishment of the city in 753 BC by
Romulus
Romulus () was the legendary foundation of Rome, founder and King of Rome, first king of Ancient Rome, Rome. Various traditions attribute the establishment of many of Rome's oldest legal, political, religious, and social institutions to Romulus ...
up to the reign of Tarquinius. The accuracy of this account has been doubted by modern historians, although it appears to be accepted that there was a monarchy, and the last king Tarquinius was expelled upon the founding of the republic in the late 6th century BC.
Tarquinius was the son of the fifth king,
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, or Tarquin the Elder, was the legendary Kings of Rome, fifth king of Roman Kingdom, Rome and first of its Etruscan civilization, Etruscan dynasty. He reigned from 616 to 579 BC. Tarquinius expanded Roman power through mi ...
. In around 535 BC Tarquinius, together with his wife
Tullia Minor
Tullia Minor is a semi-legendary figure in Roman history. She was the last queen of Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (m ...
(one of the daughters of the then king
Servius Tullius
Servius Tullius was the legendary sixth king of Rome
The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the chief magistrate
Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Historically, the two d ...
) arranged the murder of Servius. Tarquinius became king in his place.
Despite various military victories, Tarquinius became an unpopular king. He refused to bury his predecessor, then put to death a number of the leading senators whom he suspected of remaining loyal to Servius (one of whom was the brother of
Lucius Junius Brutus
Lucius Junius Brutus ( 6th century BC) is the semi-legendary Organizational founder, founder of the Roman Republic, and traditionally one of its first Roman consul, consuls in 509 BC. He was reputedly responsible for the expulsion of his uncle the ...
). By not replacing the slain senators, and not consulting the Senate on all matters of government, he diminished both the size and authority of the Senate. In another break with tradition, he judged capital criminal cases without advice of counsellors, thereby creating fear among those who might think to oppose him. He also engaged in treachery with the
Latin allies
The ''socii'' ( in English) or ''foederati'' ( in English) were confederates of ancient Rome, Rome and formed one of the three legal denominations in Roman Italy (''Italia'') along with the Roman citizens (''Cives'') and the ''Latin Rights, Lati ...
.
Rape of Lucretia

In about 510 BC, Tarquinius went to
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* The State (newspaper), ''The State'' (new ...
with the
Rutuli
The Rutuli or Rutulians were an ancient people in Italy. The Rutuli were located in a territory whose capital was the ancient town of , located about 35 km southeast of Rome.
Thought to have been descended from the and the , according to m ...
. According to Livy, the Rutuli were, at that time, a very wealthy people and Tarquinius was keen to obtain the spoils that would come with victory over the Rutuli in order, in part, to assuage the anger of his subjects.
Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a historian. He wrote a monumental history of and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC th ...
, ''Ab urbe condita
300px, Antoninianus of Pacatianus, Roman usurper, usurper of Roman emperor Philip the Arab, Philip in 248. It reads ''ROMAE AETERANMIL ESIMOET PRIMO'', 'To eternal Rome, in its one thousand and first year.'
''Ab urbe condita'' ( ...
''
1.57
/ref>
Tarquinius unsuccessfully sought to take the Rutulian capital Ardea by storm, and subsequently began an extensive siege of the city.
Sextus Tarquinius, the king's son, was sent on a military errand to Collatia
Collatia was an ancient town of central Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic ( it, Repubblica Italiana, links=no ), is a country consisting of a Northern Italy, continental part, delimited by the Alps, a Italian Peninsu ...
. Sextus was received with great hospitality at the governor's mansion, home of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
Lucius Tarquinius Ar. f. Ar. n. Collatinus was one of the first two consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief Roman magistrate, magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an i ...
, son of the king's nephew, Arruns Tarquinius, former governor of Collatia and first of the Tarquinii Collatini. Lucius' wife, Lucretia, daughter of Spurius Lucretius, prefect of Rome, "a man of distinction",[D.H. IV.64.] made sure that the king's son was treated as became his rank, although her husband was away at the siege.
In a variant of the story, Sextus and Lucius, at a wine party on furlough, were debating the virtues of wives when Lucius volunteered to settle the debate by all of them riding to his home to see what Lucretia was doing. She was weaving with her maids. The party awarded her the palm of victory and Lucius invited them to visit, but for the time being they returned to camp.
At night Sextus entered her bedroom by stealth, quietly going around the slaves who were sleeping at her door. She awakened, he identified himself and offered her two choices: she could submit to his sexual advances and become his wife and future queen, or he would kill her and one of her slaves and place the bodies together, then claim he had caught her having adulterous sex (see sexuality in ancient Rome
Male–female couple on the back of a bronze mirror (''ca.'' 70–90 AD)
Sexual attitudes and behaviors in ancient Rome
In historiography, ancient Rome is Roman people, Roman civilization from the founding of the Italian city of Rome ...
). In the alternative story, he returned from camp a few days later with one companion to take Collatinus up on his invitation to visit and was lodged in a guest bedroom. He entered Lucretia's room while she lay naked in her bed and started to wash her belly with water, which woke her up.
Uprising
The next day Lucretia dressed in black and went to her father's house in Rome and cast herself down in the suppliant's position (embracing the knees), weeping. Asked to explain herself she insisted on first summoning witnesses and after disclosing the rape, called on them for vengeance, a plea that could not be ignored, as she was speaking to the chief magistrate of Rome. While they were debating she drew a concealed dagger and stabbed herself in the heart. She died in her father's arms, with the women present keening and lamenting. "This dreadful scene struck the Romans who were present with so much horror and compassion that they all cried out with one voice that they would rather die a thousand deaths in defence of their liberty than suffer such outrages to be committed by the tyrants."
In the alternative version, Lucretia summoned Lucius Junius Brutus (a leading citizen, and the grandson of Rome's fifth king Tarquinius Priscus), along with her father Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus
Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus is a semi-legendary figure in early Roman history. He was the first Suffect Consul of Rome and was also the father of Lucretia, whose rape by Sextus Tarquinius, followed by her suicide, resulted in the dethronemen ...
, another leading citizen Publius Valerius Publicola
Publius Valerius Poplicola or Publicola (died 503 BC) was one of four Roman aristocrats who led the Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, overthrow of the monarchy, and became a Roman consul, the Collegiality#Collegiality in the Roman Republic, colleag ...

, and her husband Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus
Lucius Tarquinius Ar. f. Ar. n. Collatinus was one of the first two consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief Roman magistrate, magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an i ...
(also related to Tarquinius Priscus) to Collatia
Collatia was an ancient town of central Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic ( it, Repubblica Italiana, links=no ), is a country consisting of a Northern Italy, continental part, delimited by the Alps, a Italian Peninsu ...
after she had been raped. Lucretia, believing that the rape dishonored her and her family, committed suicide by stabbing herself with a dagger after telling of what had befallen her. According to legend, Brutus grabbed the dagger from Lucretia's breast after her death and immediately shouted for the overthrow of the Tarquins.
The four men gathered the youth of Collatia, then went to Rome where Brutus, being at that time '' Tribunus Celerum'', summoned the people to the forum and exhorted them to rise up against the king. The people voted for the deposition of the king, and the banishment of the royal family.Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a historian. He wrote a monumental history of and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC th ...
, ''Ab urbe condita
300px, Antoninianus of Pacatianus, Roman usurper, usurper of Roman emperor Philip the Arab, Philip in 248. It reads ''ROMAE AETERANMIL ESIMOET PRIMO'', 'To eternal Rome, in its one thousand and first year.'
''Ab urbe condita'' ( ...
''
1.59
/ref>
Brutus summoned the comitia curiata
The Curiate Assembly (''comitia curiata'') was the principal assembly that evolved in shape and form over the course of the Roman Kingdom
The Roman Kingdom, also referred to as the Roman monarchy, or the regal period of ancient Rome, was the ...
, an organization of patrician families used mainly to ratify the decrees of the king and began to harangue them in one of the more noted and effective speeches of ancient Rome. He began by revealing that his pose as fool was a sham designed to protect him against an evil king. He leveled a number of charges against the king and his family: the outrage against Lucretia, whom everyone could see on the dais, the king's tyranny, the forced labor of the plebeians
In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizenship, Roman citizens who were not Patrician (ancient Rome), patricians, as determined by the capite censi, census, or in other words "commoners". Both ...

in the ditches and sewers of Rome. He pointed out that Superbus had come to rule by the murder of Servius Tullius
Servius Tullius was the legendary sixth king of Rome
The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the chief magistrate
Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Historically, the two d ...
, his wife's father, next-to-the-last king of Rome. He "solemnly invoked the gods as the avengers of murdered parents." The king's wife, Tullia, was in fact in Rome and probably was a witness to the proceedings from her palace near the forum. Seeing herself the target of so much animosity she fled from the palace in fear of her life and proceeded to the camp at Ardea.
Brutus opened a debate on the form of government Rome ought to have; there were many speakers (all patricians
The patricians (from la, patriciusPatricius may refer to:
People
* Patricius (consul 500), prominent East Roman general and consul
*Patricius (jurist), 5th-century Roman jurist
* Patricius (usurper) (died 352), leader of the Jewish revolt aga ...
). In summation he proposed the banishment of the Tarquins from all the territories of Rome and appointment of an interrex
The interrex (plural interreges) was literally a ruler "between kings" (Latin ''inter reges'') during the Roman Kingdom and the Roman Republic. He was in effect a short-term regent.
History
The office of ''interrex'' was supposedly created followi ...
to nominate new magistrates and conduct an election of ratification. They had decided on a republican form of government with two consuls in place of a king executing the will of a patrician senate. This was a temporary measure until they could consider the details more carefully. Brutus renounced all right to the throne. In subsequent years the powers of the king were divided among various elected magistracies. A final vote of the curiae carried the interim constitution. Spurius Lucretius was swiftly elected interrex (he was prefect of the city anyway). He proposed Brutus and Collatinus as the first two consuls and that choice was ratified by the curiae. Needing to acquire the assent of the population as a whole they paraded Lucretia's body through the streets, summoning the plebeians to legal assembly in the forum. Once there they heard a further speech by Brutus. It began:
A general election was held. The vote was for the republic. The monarchy was at an end, even while Lucretia was still displayed in the forum.
Brutus, leaving Lucretius in command of the city, proceeded with armed men to the Roman army then camped at Ardea. The king, who had been with the army, heard of developments at Rome, and left the camp for the city before Brutus' arrival. The army received Brutus as a hero, and the king's sons were expelled from the camp. Tarquinius Superbus, meanwhile, was refused entry at Rome, and fled with his family into exile.
Establishment of the republic
That uprising resulted in the exile or ''RegifugiumThe Regifugium ("Flight of the King") or Fugalia ("Festival of the Flight") was an annual religious
Religion is a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worl ...
'', after a reign of 25 years, of Tarquinius and his family, and the establishment of the Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( la, Rēs pūblica Rōmāna ) was a state of the classical Roman civilization, run through public
In public relations
Public relations (PR) is the practice of managing and disseminating information from an indiv ...
, with Brutus and Collatinus (both related by blood to Rome's fifth king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus) as the first consuls
A consul is an official representative of the government of one Sovereign state, state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between th ...
.
Tarquinius and his two eldest sons, Titus and Arruns, went into exile at Caere
:
Caere (also Caisra and Cisra) is the Latin name given by the Romans
Roman or Romans usually refers to:
*Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus
, image_map = ...
.
According to Livy, Brutus' first act after the expulsion of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was to bring the people to swear an oath (the Oath of Brutus) never to allow any man again to be king in Rome.
: ''Omnium primum avidum novae libertatis populum, ne postmodum flecti precibus aut donis regiis posset, iure iurando adegit neminem Romae passuros regnare.''
: First of all, by swearing an oath that they would suffer no man to rule Rome, it forced the people, desirous of a new liberty, not to be thereafter swayed by the entreaties or bribes of kings.
This is, fundamentally, a restatement of the "private oath" sworn by the conspirators to overthrow the monarchy:
:
: By this guiltless blood before the kingly injustice I swear – you and the gods as my witnesses – I make myself the one who will prosecute, by what force I am able, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus along with his wicked wife and the whole house of his freeborn children by sword, by fire, by any means hence, so that neither they nor any one else be suffered to rule Rome.
There is no scholarly agreement that the oath took place; it is reported, although differently, by Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; AD 46 – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist
Middle Platonism is the modern name given to a stage in the development of Platonic philosophy, lasting from about 90 BC&nbs ...

(''Poplicola'', 2) and Appian
Appian of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς ''Appianòs Alexandreús''; la, Appianus Alexandrinus; ) was a historian with citizenship who flourished during the reigns of , , and .
He was born c. 95 in . Afte ...
(''B.C.'' 2.119).
Brutus also replenished the number of senators to 300 from the principal men of the equites
The ''equites'' (; la, eques nom. singular; literally "horse-" or "cavalrymen", though sometimes referred to as "knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representati ...
. The new consuls also created a new office of rex sacrorum
In ancient Roman religion, the ''rex sacrorum'' ("king of the sacred", also sometimes ''rex sacrificulus'') was a senatorial priesthood reserved for patricians. Although in the historical era, the ''pontifex maximus
The (Latin
Latin (, ...
to carry out the religious duties that had previously been performed by the kings.Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a historian. He wrote a monumental history of and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC th ...
, ''Ab urbe condita
300px, Antoninianus of Pacatianus, Roman usurper, usurper of Roman emperor Philip the Arab, Philip in 248. It reads ''ROMAE AETERANMIL ESIMOET PRIMO'', 'To eternal Rome, in its one thousand and first year.'
''Ab urbe condita'' ( ...
''
2.1–2
/ref>
Because of the Roman people's revulsion at the name and family of the exiled king, the consul Tarquinius Collatinus was forced to resign from the office of consul and go into exile.
Attempts to reinstate the monarchy
After his exile, Tarquinius made a number of attempts to regain the throne. At first, he sent ambassadors to the Senate to request the return of his family's personal effects, which had been seized in the coup. In secret, while the Senate debated his request, the ambassadors met with and subverted a number of the leading men of Rome to the royal cause, in the Tarquinian conspiracy
The Tarquinian conspiracy was a conspiracy amongst a number of senators and leading men of ancient Rome in 509 BC to reinstate the monarchy, and to put Lucius Tarquinius Superbus back on the throne. The conspirators were discovered and executed. T ...
. The conspirators included two of Brutus' brothers-in-law, and his two sons Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the imperial period (starting in 27 BC). The emperors used a variety of different titles thro ...
and Tiberius
Tiberius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman Empire during the History of the Roman Empire, imperial period (starting in 27 BC). The emperors use ...
. The conspiracy was discovered, and the conspirators executed.
Although the Senate had initially agreed to Tarquin's request for a return of his family's effects, the decision was reconsidered and revoked after the discovery of the conspiracy, and the royal property was given over to be plundered by the Roman populace.
Tarquinius next attempted to regain Rome by force of arms. He first gained the support of the cities of Veii
Veii (also Veius; it, Veio) was an important ancient Etruscan civilization, Etruscan city situated on the southern limits of Etruria and only north-northwest of Rome, Italy. It now lies in Isola Farnese, in the Comuni of the Province of Rome, co ...

and Tarquinii
Tarquinia (), formerly Corneto, is an old city in the province of Viterbo
Viterbo ( it, provincia di Viterbo) is a province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancie ...
, recalling to the former their regular losses of war and land to the Roman state, and to the latter his family ties. The armies of the two cities were led by Tarquinius against Rome in the Battle of Silva Arsia
A battle is an occurrence of combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapon
A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or devic ...
. The king commanded the Etruscan infantry. Although the result initially appeared uncertain, the Romans were victorious. Both Brutus (the consul) and Arruns (the king's son) were killed in battle.
Another attempt by Tarquinius relied on military support from Lars Porsenna
Lars Porsena (Etruscan: Pursenas; sometimes spelled Lars Porsenna) was an Etruscan civilization, Etruscan king known for his Roman-Etruscan Wars#War with Clusium in 508 BC, war against the city of Rome. He ruled over the city of Clusium (Etruscan l ...
, king of Clusium
Clusium ( grc-gre, Κλύσιον, ''Klýsion'', or , ''Kloúsion''; Umbrian:''Camars'') was an ancient city in Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic ( it, Repubblica Italiana, links=no ), is a country consisting of a ...
. The war
War is an intense armed conflict between states
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* The State (newspaper), ''The State'' (new ...
led to the siege of Rome, and finally a peace treaty. However, Tarquinius failed to achieve his aim of regaining the throne.
Tarquinius and his family left Clusium, and instead sought refuge in Tusculum
Tusculum is a ruined Classical Rome, Roman city in the Alban Hills, in the Latium region of Italy. Tusculum was most famous in Roman times for the many great and luxurious patrician country villas sited close to the city, yet a comfortable distanc ...
with his son-in-law Octavius Mamilius
Octavius Mamilius (died 498 BC) was ''princeps'' ("leader, prince") of Tusculum, an ancient city of Latium. He was the son-in-law of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the seventh and last king of Rome. According to tradition, the ''Mamilia gens, gens Ma ...
. In about 496 BC, Tarquin and his son Titus fought with Mamilius and the Latin League
The Latin League (c. 7th century BC – 338 BC)Stearns, Peter N. (2001) ''The Encyclopedia of World History'', Houghton Mifflin. pp. 76–78. . was an ancient confederation of about 30 villages and tribes in the region of Latium
Latium ( , ; ...
against Rome, but lost, at the Battle of Lake Regillus
250px, Prataporci site, where the battle took place, view from Monte Porzio Catone
The Battle of Lake Regillus was a legendary Roman victory over the Latin League shortly after the establishment of the Roman Republic and as part of a wider ...
at which Mamilius perished.
Subsequently, Tarquinius fled to take refuge at the court of the tyrant of Cumae
Cumae ( grc, Κύμη, (Kumē) or or ; it, Cuma) was the first ancient Greek colony on the mainland of Italy, founded by settlers from Euboea in the 8th century BC and soon becoming one of the strongest colonies. It later became a rich Roma ...

, Aristodemus
In Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myth
Myth is a folklore genre
Folklore is the expressive body of culture shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the tradition
A tradition is a belief
A belief ...
, where he died in 495 BC.Livy
Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a historian. He wrote a monumental history of and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in 753 BC th ...
, ''Ab urbe condita
300px, Antoninianus of Pacatianus, Roman usurper, usurper of Roman emperor Philip the Arab, Philip in 248. It reads ''ROMAE AETERANMIL ESIMOET PRIMO'', 'To eternal Rome, in its one thousand and first year.'
''Ab urbe condita'' ( ...
''
2.21
/ref>
References
{{ancient Rome
509 BC
6th-century BC conflicts
6th century BC in the Roman Kingdom
Rebellions in ancient history
Democratization
Coups d'état
Revolutions