Early+history

Before the beginning of Rome a different people inhabited Italy. These people known as the Etruscans are very mysterious. Most of their history and culture is unknown to historians. It is also unknown how these people came to be or how they influenced Roman culture.

Many believe that Rome was named after Romulus who outsmarted his brother Remus for control of this new Territory (which would later become Rome). Plutarch is clear that:

"From whom, and for what reason. The city of Rome, a name so great in glory, and famous in the mouths of all men, was so first called, authors do not agree..."

The name for the new territory known as Rome could have came from the man Romulus or a woman by the name of Roma. Plutarch says:

"At the taking of troy, some few escaped and met with shipping, put to sea, and driven by winds, were carried upon the coasts of Tuscany, and came to anchor off the mouth of the river Tiber,where their women, out of heart and weary with the sea, on its being proposed by one of the highest birth and best understanding amongst them, whose name was Roma, Burnt the ships, With which act the men first were angry"

then later

"Things in a short while succeeded far better than they could hope, In that they found the country very good, and the people courteous, they not did the lady Roma offer honours, but added also this, of calling after her name the city which she had been the occasion of their founding..."

What Plutarch is saying is that Rome could be named after the woman Roma who burned the ships owned by the survivors of Troy who landed in the Tiber river. The survivors realized that this land was full of nice people and land that was easy to farm. Also the Tiber river was a convenient water source.

In Roman culture women play a large in worship and religion. During Pagan times, before the mostly male Christian religion, women played an important role in religion.

A regular ancient Roman was very superstitious. They believed that events could be looked at and could reveal future events.Women were heavily involved in this task known as augury.

The roman religion played a very important role in their culture. Many forms of art started in Rome and many famous painting and sculptures came from ancient Rome.

Another important role of the woman in Rome was that of the Vestal Virgins.

Plutarch tells us:

"At first they say Gegania and Verenia were made priestesses by Numa, and next Canuleia and Tarpeia. Later Servius added two more... the king set the terms of service for the holy virgins at thirty years, in the first decade tey learn their duties, in the middle decade they do what they learned and in the third decade they teach others... After that a virgin is free to marry if she wishes to or to take on another style of life..."

Another important role of these holy virgins is to keep lit the "Fire of Rome" if this fire were to be extinguished then it is believed that a great evil would fall upon Rome.

Rome was a monarchy from 753 BCE until 509 BCE. That monarchy would be later destroyed and Rome would turn into a republic. At this period in Roman history the idea of a Republican government was very popular. This need for a republic in Rome would eventually lead to the Republican Revolution.

In the year 509 BCE king Tarquinius Superbus was overthrown during the Republican Revolution. The main reason for the Republican Revolution was the rape of Lucretia.

Luctretia was respected and praised by the Roman people for being the perfect wife. A story told by Titus Livius (A famous roman historian) shows Lucretia's perfection as a wife and why so many people praied her.

"The royal princes sometimes spent their leisure hours in feasting and entertainments, and at a wine party given by Sextus Tarquinius at which Collatinus, the son of Egerius, was present, the conversation happened to turn upon their wives, and each began to speak of his own in terms of extraordinarily high praise. As the dispute became warm Collatinus said that there was no need of words, it could be in a few hours ascertained how far his Lucretia was superior to the rest. "Why do we not," he exclaimed, "If we any youthful vigour about us mount our horses and pay your wives a visit and find out their characters on the spot?"

While other wives were found in various states of lewdness, Lucretia was:

"very differently employed from the king's daughters-in-law, whom they had seen passing their time in feasting and luxury with their acquaintances. She was sitting at her wool work in the hall, late at night, with her, maids busy round her. The palm in this competition of wifely virtue was awarded to Lucretia."

Tarquinius Superbus's son Sextus Superbus raped Lucretia in the year 509 BCE. In response to this Lucretia's Father and brother started the Replublican Revolution and thus began the Roman republic.