Servius Tullius biography. The reign of Servius Tullius - a successful beginning and a tragic ending

21.3. John the Baptist condemns the marriage of Herod to Herodias Servius Tullius does not approve, although he does not prohibit the marriage of Lucius Tarquin to Tullia the Fierce. The Gospels report that John the Baptist condemned King Herod for marrying Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. "John

September 22, 2018

While still a boy, Servius ended up in the house of the ancient Roman king Tarquinius Priscus as a slave turned servant. His father died in one of the battles with the Romans, and his mother was captured by the Romans. Legends say that she may have been of noble birth, so Queen Tanaquil brought the woman closer to her. The family loved the boy, gave him a good education and treated him as a younger relative, and not as a servant. The matured Servius later even became the son-in-law of Tarquin the Ancient, marrying his daughter.

Servius Tullius

At first, the tragic death of the ancient Roman ruler at the hands of assassins was hidden from the people. His wife Tanaquil ordered the house to be tightly closed, and from the window she addressed the gathered crowd with a speech. She said that the king would definitely recover, since the wound was not deep, but for now orders on his behalf would be transmitted through Servius Tullius. Within a few days, the future ancient Roman king, the sixth in a row, was able to strengthen his position in selected circles, after which it was decided to announce the death of Tarquin. Servius was not popularly elected. Tanaquil, who loved the young man like a mother, helped him take the royal chair.

Servius Tullius tried to avoid the hatred of the grown-up royal sons and the fate of his predecessor by marrying his two daughters to the young man. But he never managed to get rid of enmity, betrayal and envy. Subsequently, Tullia Jr. will play a fatal role in the fate of her father, conceiving and taking direct part in serious intrigues behind his back. Ultimately, Servius Tullius will be publicly killed by the conspirators led by his son-in-law, and his daughter, Tullia the Younger, will ride over her father’s body in a chariot!

Tullia the Younger directs her chariot at her father's body

The sixth ancient Roman king reigned from 578 to 535. BC. Servius devoted more time to government and construction than to wars. As a result, Tullius' reforms contributed to the strengthening of the state system. He created:

• Servian legislation;
• centuriate reform, which divided the population of Rome into urban and rural tribes - clan associations were replaced by territorial districts.

Among other things, property classes and electoral groups emerged. The aristocracy began to be defined not by kinship, but by wealth. The poor constituted a separate class, whose representatives could not take part in voting and did not perform military service. But they were allowed to be redeemed from slavery, freeing them from dependence, which affected the people’s respect for the king, who personally participated in the process.

Servian Wall

According to legend, during the reign of Tullius it was erected, surrounding the seven hills of Rome. But studies of the surviving sections of the building indicate the construction of the wall in the 4th century. BC, although these ruins could have survived after its reconstruction. Ruins of the fortress wall are found today in several historical areas of Rome.

Servius Tullius was born on August 13 in the Latin city of Corniculum, which was subsequently destroyed by Roman troops led by. The father of the future king, Spurius Tullius, died in the battle, and his mother Okrisia, a woman of noble birth, was captured by the Romans. There she fell in love with Tanaquil, the wife of Tarquinius Priscus. The birth of Servius Tullius is surrounded by legends. According to mythological legend, already in childhood his divine origin manifested itself. One day, when the boy was sleeping in the atrium, a bright flame engulfed his head like a crown. The servants wanted to put out the fire, but Tanaquil saw a sign in this event and stopped them. When the child woke up, the flames went out and did not cause him any harm.

Roman annalists claim that Servius, being a favorite in the royal house, although a slave, received a good Greek education and already at a young age supplemented it with military victories. The young man enjoyed the greatest love and honor not only at court, but also among senators and the people. Tarquinius Priscus gave him his second daughter as his wife. After the murder of Tarquin by his sons, Servius took over the reign on the advice and insistence of Tanaquil, who announced that Tarquin was still alive and was transferring the reign to Servius until his recovery. When the latter was sufficiently established on the throne, he openly acted as king and only then ordered the Senate to confirm his dignity. The descent from a slave may have been a legend based on the name Servius (servant), but the fact that Servius reached the throne illegally is a historical fact. Perhaps he belonged to the plebeian class, to whom he ensured freedom and political rights, and was always revered as a benefactor and protector of the lower and poor class of the people.

The beginning of the reign of Servius Tullius was marked by successful wars against the city of Veii and the Etruscans. In order to establish Rome's dominance over the Latin cities, he built the Temple of Diana on the Aventine Hill and established allied holidays. The Sabines did not wage war against Rome during the reign of Servius Tullius.

According to legend, one Sabine named Curiatius managed to raise a mighty bull. One day, a wandering prophet appeared to this cattle breeder and predicted that the one who sacrificed this bull to Diana would become king of the Sabines. Curiatius immediately led his bull to the new temple in Rome. There he told the Roman priest what made him come to the altar, but the priest began to reproach Curiatius for not washing his hands in the Tiber before the sacrifice. While Curiatius was running to the river, the efficient priest managed to make a sacrifice. Thus, all the consequences of this sacrifice went to Rome. The unfortunate cattle breeder was given the head of a bull, and with it he went to his city to beg his compatriots not to attack Rome.

Thus, most of the reign of Servius Tullius was peaceful, and the king had a lot of time to carry out government reforms. Under him, Roman society was radically reorganized.

First of all, this is the famous reform, which consisted of the establishment of a property qualification and the distribution of political rights and military responsibilities in accordance with it, regardless of class. Not everything in it is reliable, but the very core of the reform gives the impression of a genuine fact. Citizens were required to establish the monetary value of all their property under oath. If someone gave false information, then all his property was taken away, and he himself was sold into slavery.

The English word census means “population census”, the Russian “qualification” - a boundary drawn according to a certain social characteristic (property, age, educational qualification). This is because the Latin census combines both concepts - a census and the distribution of citizens by property classes. In fact, Servius' reform shaped the very concept of Roman citizenship.

The plebeians still constituted a politically unsettled mass, while the patricians alone held the government of the state in their hands. But the plebeians significantly outnumbered the old citizens and, on the whole, were not inferior to them in education. Leaving them completely removed from all political rights could prove unsafe for the state in the future. In addition, the distribution and organization of plebeians was also required for administrative purposes - without this it was impossible to recruit troops and collect taxes.

In accordance with the reform, clan tribes were replaced by territorial ones. For this purpose, Servius divided the entire Roman territory into 30 districts, or tribes - 4 urban (tribus urbanae) and 26 rural (rusticae), as a result of which the entire population was divided into a corresponding number of departments, or tribes. It is very likely that not only plebeians, but also patricians and clients were included in these local tribes. As a result, it turned out that 25,000 citizens living in Rome were able to bear arms (information according to Fabius Pictor, who lived in the 3rd century BC). In addition to this local division of the entire people into tribes, Servius also undertook a second division of it, namely, distribution into classes and centuries, and he, like Solon in Athens, took property status, qualifications, as the basis for the division.

Such a device was intended to merge both classes into one political whole and to assign to each individual citizen, without distinction of origin and class, but solely on the basis of his property status, his political rights in the people's assembly. The entire society in this division was considered an army and was divided into the following departments:

Horsemen(equites) - 18 centuries, of which 6 included the old patrician double centuries, and 12 were newly formed from the noblest plebeians.

Infantry, divided into 5 classes and 170 centuries:

• I class, from 80 centuries, with a qualification of at least 100,000 asses (or 100 min).
• II class, from 20 centuries, with a qualification of 75,000 asses (75 min).
• III class, from 20 centuries, with a qualification of 50,000 asses (50 min).
• IV class, from 20 centuries, with a qualification of 25,000 asses (25 min).
• V class, from 30 centuries, with a qualification of 12,500 asses (12.5 min).

Standing outside the classrooms, from 5 centuries, namely:

• artisans (fabri) with the army, 2 centuries;
• musicians with the army (tubicines and cornicincs), 2 centuries;
• proletarii, or capite censi; they had property of less than 12,500 asses and were counted without distinction of property status; they were called proletarians because they could serve the state not with their property, but only with their children (proles).

In the national assembly, during universal voting, the vote of each individual century was taken into account. Therefore, when the rich and noble horsemen and the first class were at the same time, they decided the matter in their own way with their 98 votes. The arrangement, therefore, was such that wealth had the preponderance; but even the poorest plebeian took part at least in voting, in deciding the most important affairs of the state, although his influence was very insignificant.

Such meetings of the entire people were called centuriate comitia (comitia centuriata), and Servius transferred to these meetings the rights that the comitia curiata, the meetings of the patricians, previously had, namely: the adoption of new laws, the approval of the elected king and senior dignitaries, and the decision on the issue of war.

In addition to the mentioned political purpose, the Servian division into centuries also had a military purpose. The people thus distributed represented the Roman army and were also called exercitus. The five classes were at the same time five divisions of the army, armed with different weapons. The first class weapons consisted of a helmet, a round shield, legguards and a breastplate (all made of copper), a pike and a saber as weapons of attack. The second class had the same weapons, only without a breastplate, and instead of a round shield, they had an oblong shield, made of wood, covered with leather. The third class did not have leg guards either. The fourth class had only pikes and javelins. Fifth - slings and throwing stones. Consequently, the richer a person was, the more money he had to spend on his weapons.

Thus, an aristocracy of wealth was established to replace the aristocracy of kinship.

According to Livy, the Servian census counted about 80,000 citizens, that is, adult men capable of serving in the army. True, modern scientists suggest that at the end of the 4th century BC. e. the city's population was about 35,000 people. But even with such numbers, more than 9,000 men of military age could take to the battlefield, i.e. one legion of 6,000 men, 2,400 lightly armed soldiers and 600 horsemen. By the standards of that time it was a very large army. Rome began to have quite a lot of power.

In general, Servius, with his political institutions, gave the Roman people civil order, determined their political rights and laid a new foundation for their entire state development. The Roman people at all times recognized this merit for him and always retained a grateful memory of the complacent, humane king, defender of the oppressed.

According to legend, under Servius Tulia, the construction of the city wall of Rome (Servian City Wall) was completed, which encircled five hills that already had their own fortifications, and also included the Quirinal and Viminal hills. Thus, Rome became a city on seven hills (Septimontium). However, archaeological excavations show that the city wall in Rome was built only 200 years later: in the 1st half of the 4th century BC. And Servius, apparently, simply built something like an earthen rampart.

Servius Tullius is also credited with the monetary reform - he was the first in Rome to begin minting silver coins (although, according to most articles, silver coins began to be minted in Rome only in the 3rd century BC). He also contributed in every way to the growth of the welfare of society: by Following the example of Solon in Athens, he redeemed the poor from slavery and freed clients from patronal dependence - this procedure was called nexum. Therefore, Servius Tullius was considered the “people’s” king.

But no matter how much happiness favored him from the day of his birth, Servius’s end was tragic. Trying not to repeat the sad fate of Tarquinius Priscus, the king tried to bring his two sons closer to him: Lucius and Arun. He married his daughters to them: the meek and affectionate eldest - to the proud Lucius, and the ambitious younger - to the indecisive Arun.

However, the younger Tullia, against her father's will, married Lucius Tarquinius, conspiring and killing Arun and the elder Tullia. Prompted by the criminal and power-hungry Tullia, Tarquin allied himself with the patrician party, dissatisfied with the innovations of Servius, and, surrounded by his followers, became king in the Senate. When Servius Tullius (by that time already a very old man) came to the Senate to drive out the impostor, Tarquinius threw him down the steps onto a stone platform. Servius Tullius tried to escape, but was killed in the street by Lucius' followers.

His body was immediately run over in a chariot by his youngest daughter Tullia. Since then, this street was called “Dishonest” (Vicus sceleratus) in Rome. became the Roman king and received the nickname Proud.

They hoped to seize dominance over the city. But, contrary to their calculations, it was not they who received the monarchical rank, but Servius Tullius, who, according to legend, was the royal son, born in slavery. Tarquinius the Ancient made Servius Tullius his son-in-law for his virtues and talents. After the death of Tarquinius, Servius took the throne, thanks to the composure and intelligence of the wife of the murdered king, Tanaquila. The people joyfully approved his choice. Happiness greatly favored Servius Tullius. Legend says that the goddess Fortuna loved him like no other person. The sons of Ancus Marcius went into exile in the city of Suessa Pomezia, and the son of a slave became king.

In his youth, Servius Tullius surpassed all his peers in courage, but he earned fame among his contemporaries and posterity not for military exploits, but for deeds of peace. He completed much of what Tarquin the Ancient began. He expanded and strengthened the city, which before him occupied five hills: Palatine, Capitoline, Quirinale, Caelian, Aventine; Servius Tullius annexed the Esquiline and Viminal hills; all this space, and the bridge on stilts that led to the island of the Tiber, and he surrounded the island itself with a rampart and a wall; Thus, he became the founder of the “city of seven hills.”

Even more important was that Servius Tullius gave the state a new structure; this reform placed him in the opinion of his descendants along with Numa. Just as Numa created religious order, so he created civil order and laid the foundation for the freedom of the Roman people.

Reforms of Servius Tullius

Servius Tullius established a state order in which the rights of citizens were brought into proportion with the responsibilities assigned to them; This order provided a convenient organization for military service, payment of taxes and casting votes in the national assembly. King Servius Tullius divided the city of Rome and its possessions into districts (regiones), and distributed citizens according to the size of their property into classes and centuries. This new organization broke up the previous tribal and clan corporations of a religious nature, and united all citizens (patricians) and plebeians into one state society.

New tribes of Servia Tullia

Before the king Servius Tullius, the plebeians constituted an unsettled, politically dead mass, along with the patricians, who alone had control of the state in their hands. But they significantly outnumbered the old citizens and, on the whole, were not inferior to them in education. Leaving them completely removed from all political rights could therefore be unsafe for the state in the future. In addition, administrative purposes also required the distribution and organization of the plebeians; Without this it was impossible to recruit troops and collect taxes. In order to equalize the rights of former and new citizens and those settlers who did not have civil rights, in order to unite all these categories of inhabitants into one civil society and give better organization to the army, Servius Tullius distributed, as legend says, the Roman people into groups not based on religion or clan connections (as it was before), but by place of residence and by the size of property. He divided the city of Rome and its possessions into districts - tribes. Tribes existed before, but were tribal groups of patricians. The new tribes of Servius Tullius united patricians and plebeians within themselves, based only on the district principle.

News about the number of tribes established by Servius Tullius is not the same; but most ancient writers say that he divided the state into 30 tribes: four urban and 26 rural. The tribes were divided into smaller parts, which in urban tribes were called vici, and in rural tribes pagi. Each of these small areas probably had a common sanctuary, and probably not only patricians, but also plebeians participated in the worship of this sanctuary. The inhabitants of each district, according to the new laws of King Servius Tullius, formed a special community that had its own ruler, who kept lists of residents and their land, houses and other property; These lists were used to recruit troops and distribute taxes.

The tribes included all Roman citizens who owned land. Previously, it was believed that the distribution into tribes introduced by King Servius Tullius applied only to the plebeians, and the patricians did not belong to the tribes. This is an error, the reason for which was the fact that subsequently, when the order of popular tribunes was established, the plebeians were convened by the tribunes into popular assemblies, to which patricians were not allowed (concilia plebis). In these assemblies, the plebeians were grouped into tribes. But there were meetings that were convened by patrician dignitaries (tributary comitia, comitia tributa) - all citizens, plebeians and patricians participated in these meetings. There was also an opinion that only patricians were members of the curiae and that the assembly of the people in the curiae (curiat comitia, comitia curiata) consisted of only patricians. Regarding historical times, this opinion is erroneous: only in ancient times, before Servius Tullius, could it have been like this.

Distribution of Roman citizens by property class - centuries

Remains of the walls of Servius Tullius in Rome. Late 19th century drawing

In their meaning, the reforms of Servius Tullius had exactly the same character as the laws of Solon, introduced in Athens shortly before. The distribution of all citizens into tribes introduced plebeians (plebs, plebes), between whom there had previously been no state connection, into the state community. At the same time, King Servius Tullius granted them political rights, participation in legislative and government power, and established the amount of their participation in military service and payment of taxes. He divided all citizens of the state, patricians and plebeians, according to the size of their property (“census”) into five classes, and the classes were divided into centuries, the total number of which was 193. With this new distribution of Servius Tullius, the rights and duties of each were proportionate to his property, and no citizen was completely excluded from participation in political rights. The patricians were generally richer than the plebeians, because their position was privileged, but they paid more taxes, and the obligation of military service lay on them in a larger amount. Poor people had less influence on political affairs, but military service and taxes fell more easily on them; Moreover, by improving their economic situation, they also increased their political rights. The sixth class, consisting of people who did not have land ownership, did not enjoy political significance, because the votes in the national assembly (comitia centuriata) were collected by centuries, starting with the upper class, gradually moving to the second class, etc. - and as soon as the majority was formed, the following centuries remained unquestioned. But people who did not have land ownership, according to the laws of Servius Tullius, were free from taxes and military service. They were called capite censi (listed by name only and not to pay taxes); one of the categories of this sixth class was made up of “proletarians,” that is, people who were not rich, but who owned property sufficient to raise children.

According to the distribution of citizens into centuries by Servius Tullius, political influence was concentrated in the hands of the wealthy class. The first class was divided into 80 centuries, in addition, 18 centuries of horsemen consisted of rich people; Thus the centuries of the first class, together with the centuries of equestrians, formed the majority of the votes; and when they all voted in the same sense, the turn to cast votes did not reach the citizens of the other classes at all. The first class included citizens whose land property was valued at no less than 100,000 asses (slightly more than 20,000 rubles) or, according to Greek historians, 100 min. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th classes each had 20 centuries. The lowest qualification was in the second class 75,000 asses (75 min), in the third class 50,000 asses (50 min), in the fourth class 25,000 asses (25 min). The fifth class consisted of citizens whose landed property ranged from 11,000 to 25,000 asses; he had 30 centuries.

The general distribution of Roman citizens by century as a result of the reform of Servius Tullius looked like this:

- A. Horsemen (equites), from 18 centuries, of which 6 contained the old patrician double centuries, and 12 were newly formed from the noblest plebeians.

– B. Infantry, divided into 5 classes and 170 centuries:

I class, of 80 centuries, with a qualification of at least 100,000 asses (or 100 min).

II class, of 20 centuries, with a qualification of 75,000 asses (75 min).

III class, of 20 centuries, with a qualification of 50,000 asses (50 min).

IV class, of 20 centuries, with a qualification of 25,000 asses (25 min).

V Class, of 30 centuries, with a qualification of 12,500 asses (12.5 min).

- Then came more:

C. Consisting of outside classes, of 5 centuries, namely:

1) artisans (fabri) with the army, 2 centuries;

2) musicians with the army (tubicines and cornicines), 2 centuries;

3) proletarii, or capite censi; they had property of less than 12,500 asses and were counted without distinction of property status; they were called proletarians because they could serve the state not with their property, but only with their children (proles).

With all the inequality in the political influence of citizens of different classes, their distribution into centuries was an important step towards uniting patricians and plebeians into one state society, therefore meetings of the people according to centuries were considered in historical times to be true meetings of the entire people. The distribution of citizens into centuries, attributed to Servius Tullius, remained forever the main form of political activity of the Roman people. But it must be assumed that over time, in accordance with changes in circumstances, changes were made in the number of tribes, classes, centuries and in the qualifications by which citizens were divided into classes.

Three types of Roman comitia (popular assemblies) after the reforms of Servius Tullius

To the comitia centuriata—assemblies of the entire Roman people, based on a new, census system—Servius Tullius transferred the rights that the comitia curiata, meetings of patricians previously had, namely: the adoption of new laws, the approval of the elected king and senior dignitaries, and the decision on the issue of war. . When introducing new laws, the comitia centuriata could accept or reject the proposal of the Senate, and their decisions were also subject to approval by the comitia curiata, which thus had the function of the first chamber. So, the Romans, since the time of Servius Tullius, had three different popular assemblies: the comitia of centuries - a meeting of the whole people, the comitia of curia - a meeting of patricians, and the comitia of tribes (tributary comitia). Of these, the latter, however, did not yet have political significance.

The Roman army after the reforms of Servius Tullius

Ancient image of Servius Tullius on a tomb from Vulzi

The main goal of the transformation attributed to Servius Tullius was not the union of patricians and plebeians into one political society, but the improvement of the army, increasing its number by extending the obligation of military service to the plebeians. Previously, only patricians were warriors, bringing with them the people under their control (clients); Only the patricians had the obligation to give a contribution (tributum) to the needs of the state. After the reforms of Servius Tullius, these duties were extended to all “prosperous people” (locupletes); landowners became tax payers (assidui); in this respect it made no difference whether they were patricians or plebeians. Since the time of Servius Tullius, military service has changed from personal to property. All citizens of the first five classes were required to perform military service from 18 to 60 years of age; younger people (up to 46 years old) went on campaigns, and people older than 46 years old were usually left to defend the city. Citizens of the first class were required to serve as heavily armed soldiers, and were called conscripts par excellence (classici). Citizens of the following four classes, according to the laws of Servius Tullius, served in different ranks of infantry, which did not have full heavy weapons. Citizens of the last two classes served in light infantry detachments, were artisans and musicians with the army, and some of them went with the troops as deputies, adcensi, unarmed velati; they replenished the decline in the ranks of the army from illness and battles, receiving weapons from those who were sick or killed.

The first class weapons consisted of a helmet, a round shield, legguards and a breastplate (all made of copper), a pike and a saber as weapons of attack; the second class had the same weapons, only without a breastplate, and instead of a round shield, they had an oblong shield, made of wood, covered with leather; the third class did not have legguards; the fourth class had only pikes and javelins; fifth - slings and throwing stones. Consequently, the richer someone was, the more he, according to the laws of Servius Tullius, had to spend money on his weapons.

The total number of infantry during the time of the last kings of Rome usually amounted to probably up to 20,000 people. Plebeians could be commanders of small and even large tactical units, centurions and military tribunes in the infantry. The cavalry was made up of the most noble and wealthy landowners. According to the reform attributed to Servius Tullius, its number was increased. Initially there were 300 horsemen (10 from each curia). Tarquin the Elder doubled their number. According to the reform of Servius Tullius, there were 18 centuries, i.e. 1800 people. They did not receive a salary, but the state gave them horses and food for the horses. This expense was covered by a tax that widows and unmarried women who had land property, orphans and childless old people who had it had to pay.

The class of Roman horsemen

Over time, the number of horsemen underwent great changes; and a fairly large property qualification was always required to enter their class. Those horsemen who squandered their property, did something wrong in military service, or behaved badly in private life were excluded from their honorary class during reviews. Subsequently, the ancient equestrian surnames formed the main element of the equestrian class that was formed during the development of Roman power. This later equestrian class consisted of rich people who united in commercial partnerships, took taxes and taxes (such farmers were called publicani); other associations of horsemen took over contracts, buildings, etc. Since the time of the Gracchi, the duties of judges were also transferred to the horsemen. But they stopped performing military service in the cavalry from the time a permanent army was formed in Rome.

Murder of Servius Tullius

In addition to these transformations, Servius Tullius, as the legend tells, did many other things to alleviate the poor class; He paid the debts of poor people from his royal property, freed debtors who were in slavery to creditors, distributed land to the poor, and issued laws protecting the poor and weak from oppression.

By caring for the common people, Servius Tullius incurred the hatred of the patricians. They planned to destroy him and found the executors of their villainous intent in the king’s family itself. The legend tells horrific details about the death of Servius Tullius and the transfer of royal power to his son-in-law.

The sons of Tarquinius the Elder, Lucius and Aruns, were married to the daughters of Servius. Lucius, capable of committing a crime, but deciding on it not by the inspiration of his own will, was married to the eldest daughter of Servius Tullius, a meek and God-fearing woman; Aruns, an honest and good man, is on her younger sister, a shameless and ferocious woman. The younger Tullia, annoyed that her old father lived too long, despised her husband for his lack of ambition and believed that he would not challenge his brother for power when Servius died; Therefore, she decided to destroy both her father and her husband. She agreed with Lucius that he would kill his wife, she would kill her husband, and then they would marry; so they did; they lit, as the Romans said, their wedding torches on the pyres of the dead. Excited by his ambitious wife, Lucius formed a conspiracy with the dissatisfied patricians to overthrow Servius Tullius. During the harvest, when many citizens were on their estates, or on their plots, Tarquin appeared before the Senate, donning the emblems of kingship and accompanied by armed men. Hearing about this, King Servius Tullius fearlessly hurried to the Senate Curia. Standing at the door of the hall, he turned to Tarquin with reproaches; Tarquin grabbed the weak old man and pushed him down the stone steps of the stairs. Faithful friends raised Servius Tullius, bloodied and broken by the fall, and led him to the palace; but on the road the servants of Tarquin caught up with them and killed Servius; his body was left on the street.

Tullia, meanwhile, was impatiently awaiting news from her husband; she did not have the strength to wait, she went to the curia and congratulated her husband on his kingship; even he was terrible at her joy; he told her to return home. On the street along which she was driving lay the body of her father. The mules retreated back, the servant driving them pulled the reins to make them retreat further, but she ordered him to drive the chariot through the body. Blood splashed onto the chariot and her dress. From then on, this street was called the Cursed.

At night, a few faithful servants carried the body of Servius Tullius out of the city; Tarquinius, fearing the bitterness of the people, did not dare to allow the body to be carried along the usual route of funeral processions through the forum. After the destruction of royal power, the Roman plebeians continued to celebrate the birthday of King Servius Tulius, who loved the people.

Literature about Servius Tullius

Titus Livy. History from the founding of the city. Book I, 39-48

Origin and election to the kingdom

Servius Tullius was born in the city of Corniculum, which was subsequently destroyed by troops led by. The father of the future king, Spurius Tullius, died in the battle, and his mother Okrisia, a woman of noble birth, perhaps even a queen, was captured by the Romans. There she fell in love with Tanaquila, the wife of the Roman king. Servius Tullius grew up at the royal court until a miracle happened to him: one day, while he was sleeping in a house, a bright flame engulfed his head like a crown. Tanaquila saw a sign in this event and advised King Tarquinius Priscus to pay attention to the boy and give him a good education. Servius Tullius really showed great abilities and became the favorite of the king and the people. Tarquinius Priscus gave him his daughter as his wife. After the assassination of Tarquinius Priscus by his sons, Tanaquila managed to bring Servius Tullius, her favorite, to power.

Beginning of reign

The beginning of the reign of Servius Tullius was marked by successful wars against the city of Veii and. In order to establish the dominance of Rome over the Latin cities, he built a temple on the Aventine Hill and established allied holidays. also did not wage wars against Rome during the reign of Servius Tullius: according to legend, one Sabine named Curiatius managed to raise a mighty bull. One day a wandering prophet appeared to this cattle breeder and predicted that the one who brought this bull to Diana would become king of the Sabines. Curiatius immediately led his bull to the new temple in Rome. There he told the Roman priest about what made him come to, but the priest began to reproach Curiatius for not washing his hands in before the sacrifice. While Curiatius was running to the river, the efficient priest managed to make a sacrifice. Thus, all the consequences of this sacrifice went to Rome. The unfortunate cattle breeder was given the head of a bull, and with it he went to his city to beg his compatriots not to attack Rome.

Thus, most of the reign of Servius Tullius was peaceful, and the king had a lot of time to carry out government reforms.

Government reforms

The name of Servius Tullia of Rome is associated with reforms that contributed to the establishment of the political system of Rome; the so-called Servian legislation. The most important of the reforms is the reform, according to which clans were replaced by territorial ones. With this, Servius Tullius divided the entire population of Rome into 4 urban and 86 rural tribes. As a result, it turned out that there are 25,000 citizens living in Rome who are capable of carrying weapons (information from). For a more even distribution of responsibilities between citizens, Servius Tullius introduced into the Roman community, and divided the entire population of Rome into 5 classes, or categories, according to. Each class fielded a certain number of military units - (hundreds) and received the same number of votes in centuriates. A total of 193 such comitia were created. The most influential were 18 centuries of the 1st class and 20 centuries of the 2nd class: if they voted the same on any issue, the opinion of other centuries was not asked. Some historians believe that the poor under Servius Tullius were allocated to a separate, 6th class and constituted 1st century without the right to vote. Thus, wealth was established in place of aristocracy by kinship. Based on classes, the division of the Roman army into, and.

According to legend, under Servius Tulia the construction of the city wall of Rome was completed ( Servian city wall), which surrounded five hills that already had their own fortifications, and also included the Quirinal and Viminal hills. Thus Rome became a city on seven hills ( Septimontium). However, archaeological excavations show that the city wall in Rome was built only 200 years later: in the 1st half.

The reform is attributed to Servius Tullius (he was the first in Rome to begin minting. He contributed in every way to the growth of the welfare of society: following his example, he redeemed the poor from slavery and freed them from dependence - this procedure was called nexum. Therefore, Servius Tullius was considered the “people’s” king. The plebeians especially honored his memory.

The sons of Tarquinius Priscus and the death of Servius Tullius

Servius Tullius came to power when his predecessor's sons were still babies. Trying not to repeat the sad fate of Tarquinius Priscus, the king tried to bring his two sons closer to him: and Arun. He gave his daughters to them: the meek and affectionate one - to the proud Lucius, and the ambitious younger one - to the indecisive Arun. However, the younger Tullia, against her father's will, married Lucius Tarquinius. They plotted and killed Arun and the elder Tullia.

The dissatisfaction of the patricians with the reforms of Servius Tullius led to the fact that the king lost support