He told them how Tarquin had murdered the previous king and how he abused his power. He stated numerous charges against the tyrant king. Story of Lucretia (painting by Sandro Botticelli) 13) At the Roman Forum Brutus called for the overthrow of the Monarchy. There she was on display for people as a testimony to the horrors committed by the monarchy. They vowed to overthrow the Roman monarchy.īrutus swearing an oath of revenge while holding Lucretia’s corpse 12) The revolutionary committee of men then picked up Lucretia’s corpse and paraded her around the town, then they took the body to the Roman Forum. Each man present passed around the bloodied dagger and swore an oath of revenge. They swore that this incident marks the end of the tyranny of the monarchy. Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 11) Following Lucretia’s death, the witnesses present were enraged. The Death of Lucretia by Ludovico Mazzanti (Photograph by Beesnest McClain. While the men discussed the matter, Lucretia took out a dagger and stabbed herself in the heart. She then took an oath of vengeance and made them swear they would take revenge and that the adulterer would not go unpunished. Upon entering her room, Lucretia disclosed the incident of the rape. The witnesses were the aristocrats of Rome and Lucius Junius Brutus. In this version of the story, Lucretia called her husband and her father to meet her, insisting that they bring witnesses with them. Subsequently, she stabbed herself in the heart and died in the arms of her father.

She then swore them to take revenge on her behalf. She then called for witnesses and narrated what had happened to her. There she wept in front of her husband and her father. In Dionysius’ account, the following day, Lucretia dressed in black and set for her father’s home. Sextus Tarquinius threatening Lucretia (painting by Titian, The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge) 10) The events following the rape of Lucretia- The account of Dionysius of Halicarnassus Lucretia unwillingly submitted to his advances. He threatened that if she did not submit to him, he would kill her and place her nude body next to the body of a servant. He awakened her and forced her to submit to him. That night he snuck into the chambers of Lucretia. There he was treated with utmost hospitality. He was hosted at the house of Collatinus.

He subsequently sent his youngest son Sextus on a military mission to Collatia. Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was involved in a siege at Ardea. The winner of the bet was Collatinus, who had the most virtuous wife. In contrast, Lucretia was inside and weaving alone in silence. When the husbands secretly returned home, they found their wives drinking and in conversation. They then placed a bet to see which man’s wife had the best character when their husbands were not around. The kings’ sons along with Collatinus and Lucius Junius Brutus were drinking one night. 7) The infamous rape is said to have taken place in 509 BCE. They were both faithful and devoted to each other. Lucretia with her husband Collatinus (painting by Titian) 6) Collatinus and Lucretia were considered as an ideal Roman couple. Although Collatinus had famous relatives, he didn’t have any social standing in Rome. Additionally, he was the nephew of the fifth King of Rome, Lucius Tarquinius Priscus. (painting by William Poorter) 5) Lucretia was married to Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, who was the son of Egerius. Lucretia would instead stay at home and pray for her husband’s safety. Other Roman wives used to feast and drink wine when their husbands went to war. It is often depicted that she was completely devoted to her husband. Additionally, she was a virtuous and ideal Roman wife. Lucretia (painting by Paolo Veronese) 3) She was considered as an epitome of morality. Her father went on to become a semi-legendary figure in Rome. Lucretia by Rembrandt 2) She was the daughter of Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus, the first Suffect consul of Rome. Most of what we know is derived from the accounts of Roman Historians Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus. 1) There aren’t any contemporary records of the rape of Lucretia. Here are 20 facts about Lucretia- The woman who ended the Roman monarchy. It was this incident which catapulted the downfall of the Roman monarchy and made Rome a republic.

Her vengeance upon the Roman monarchy began when she was raped by Sextus Tarquinius, the son of King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. Lucretia was a virtuous Roman noblewoman.

Collatinus lucretia