A. Sutherland – AncientPages.com – The seventh and last king of Rome was Tarquin the Proud, who reigned between 535 BC–509 BC. Tarquin – a tyrant noted for his cruelty – had ruled Rome for more than twenty years after murdering the previous king, Servius Tullius, and seizing his throne.
The Tarquins’ royal dynasty was of Etruscan heritage; they were influential in the region, ruling from around 616 BC to 510 BC. The Etruscans, who were in many ways more advanced than the Romans at this time, extended their power southward.
Tarquinius ruled wisely and dynamically; he ordered the draining of swamps and marshes, diverting their waters to the Tiber River, and he employed the city’s sewers and built an open market area.
Many temples were built throughout the city, including the Temple to Jupiter, established in 509 BC, just after the last Etruscan king was dethroned.
Nonetheless, he was a reckless ruler who officially continued his father’s work. Still, he wanted to break the Senate’s power, and by acting as a ruler of violence and terror, he sought to secure his government.
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