Seven Legendary Kings of Ancient Rome Quiz

Answer: Romulus

Titus Tatius was a Sabine leader who became co-ruler of Rome alongside Romulus - the founder and first king of Rome. The Sabines were an ancient Italic people who lived in the central Apennines, near the territory of Rome. After a period of intense conflict between the Romans and the Sabines, marked by fierce fighting and a hard-fought stalemate, the two sides chose to end hostilities by forming a political union. Tatius and Romulus ruled jointly for about five years, after which Tatius was killed during a visit to Lavinium. Romulus then continued to rule alone until his death.

Answer: Guards who enforced royal authority

They serves as an honor guard for the king. Their symbol, carried on the shoulder, was a bundle of rods with a double-headed axe; the axe represented the power to execute, and the rods the authority to flog criminals. According to one explanation, the number twelve honored the twelve vultures that appeared as a divine sign confirming Romulus's right to rule.

After the monarchy ended in the late sixth century BC, lictors became attendants to senior magistrates such as consuls and praetors.

Answer: Servius Tullius

Servius Tullius was the only king of Rome said to have come from a slave background. According to legend, his mother, Ocrisia, was a slave in the royal household. One day, while Servius was still a child, his hair mysteriously caught fire as he slept, yet he was completely unharmed. King Tarquinius Priscus and his wife, Queen Tanaquil, took this as a divine sign. Believing the gods had marked him for greatness, they chose to raise and educate him as their own, preparing him for a noble future.

Answer: True

The Carcer Tullianum, later known as the Mamertine Prison, was the first prison in Rome. It was built by Ancus Marcius, and was located at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, near the Roman Forum. Remarkably, the ancient structure still stands today. The prison contains two chambers, one of which was used to detain those condemned to death. According to Livy, the prison was constructed after several territorial expansions, which brought a rise in population, and, with it, a surge in crime.

Answer: Egeria

Egeria was a nymph in Roman mythology. She was considered a water nymph or a goddess of fountains and sacred springs, often associated with wisdom, prophecy, and religious law.

According to tradition, Numa Pompilius claimed to receive divine guidance from the nymph Egeria during nightly consultations in a sacred grove. She became his divine advisor, teaching him how to perform the religious rituals that would maintain the favor of the gods and ensure the prosperity of Rome.

Over time, the bond between Numa and Egeria deepened, and they became not only spiritual companions, but also husband and wife. Through these consultations, Numa established many of the religious customs and institutions that would become central to Roman life, such as the creation of priestly orders and the development of the Roman calendar.

In most versions of the myth, Egeria's involvement with Numa came to an end after his death. Heartbroken over the loss of her husband, Egeria wandered the hills near Rome in mourning. Her grief was so profound that, according to the myth, she was transformed into a fountain, symbolizing her eternal connection to the king and the city he helped shape.

For those who prefer a less magical version of the story, according to Livy's account, Numa feared that without external threats, people would become lazy and undisciplined. To keep them in check, he claimed to meet the goddess Egeria at night and used her divine authority to inspire respect and fear of the gods through rituals and laws.

Answer: His daughter

Servius married his two daughters to Lucius and Arruns, the sons of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, hoping to prevent any resentment since their father once ruled Rome, but they believed they were denied their rightful inheritance. For decades, his rule seemed unshakable-until betrayal quietly took root. Unfortunately for him, to his surprise, the betrayal actually began with his own flesh and blood.

Tullia Minor, the younger daughter of Servius Tullius, was married to Arruns Tarquinius, but she quickly grew dissatisfied with him because of his mild and unambitious nature. Disdainful of his passivity, she turned her affections toward his more assertive brother, Lucius Tarquinius, who was married to her older sister. Eventually, Tullia Minor and Lucius conspired to eliminate their spouses, clearing the way to marry each other. Together, they plotted to overthrow King Servius, with Tullia urging her new husband to seize the throne.

The young brother Tarquinius, who saw himself as the rightful heir to the throne, was encouraged by his new wife to take action. He gathered a band of armed supporters and stormed into the Forum. While the onlookers stood shocked and afraid, Lucius marched confidently to the royal seat and sat upon the throne. He denounced Servius as a slave-born usurper. When the king arrived to confront him, Lucius threw him down the Senate steps. Servius was later murdered, and Tullia, his own daughter, drove her chariot over her father's body. Thus ended his 43-year reign.

Answer: Circus Maximus

The construction of the Circus Maximus can be marked as the beginning of the institution of mass entertainment in ancient Rome. The Circus Maximus was the first stadium built in Rome and the largest of all the stadiums that were built afterward.

It was intended for chariot and horse races, as well as other public spectacles. As in the stadiums we know today, it had designated seating areas reserved for those of high status, including senators and equestrians. There were even food stalls on site. According to Livy, the decision to build the stadium was made following the conquest of the Latin city of Apiolae, from which Tarquinius returned with a larger than usual booty.

Answer: Numa was seen as a peacemaker; Romulus, as a warlord

Romulus's era was defined by conquest, expansion, and acts of violence as he established and defended the new city through military strength and bold actions, embodying the archetype of a warrior-king. In contrast, Numa Pompilius's reign was marked by moderation, wisdom, and religious reforms that sought to bring order, peace, and stability to the young city by instituting sacred rituals, laws, and customs. Thanks to the complementary legacies of these two founders, Romulus's focus on war and Numa's emphasis on peace and religion, Rome developed a balanced foundation, becoming proficient both in the arts of war and the arts of peace.

Regarding the other answers, Romulus is said to have been the son of the god Mars. Numa Pompilius had Sabine origins. According to legend, Romulus did build some temples, such as the Temple of Jupiter Feretrius and the Temple of Jupiter Stator. Numa, however, never banned any religion; on the contrary, he was regarded as a spiritual leader who established many of Rome's key religious institutions. Finally, both are considered legendary and respected kings. Romulus, as a mythic founder of Rome, is remembered as a heroic and symbolic figure, while Numa was traditionally revered by the Romans for his wisdom and piety.

Answer: By having three brothers from each side fight a duel to decide the outcome

During the reign of Tullus Hostilius, tensions arose as farmers from Rome and Alba Longa frequently raided each other's lands. Tullus, described by Livy as even more warlike than Romulus, feared that inaction would lead to Rome's decline and eagerly sought a pretext for war. When negotiations failed, both sides prepared for what Livy characterizes as nearly a civil war, since both peoples claimed descent from Trojan ancestors. To avoid mutual destruction and prevent Etruscan intervention, they agreed to settle the conflict through a combat between two sets of three brothers - the Roman Horatii and the Alban Curiatii. The duel ended in victory for Rome.

After the Roman victory, Alba Longa was bound by treaty to follow Rome's lead. However, not long after, the Alban king Mettius Fufetius betrayed the alliance by secretly allying with the Etruscans against Rome. When his treachery was exposed, Tullus Hostilius ordered his gruesome execution and razed Alba Longa to the ground, relocating its population to Rome and incorporating its noble families into Roman society. This marked a decisive step in Rome's consolidation of regional power, and was probably the biggest achievement of Tullus Hostilius as a king.

Answer: The rape of Lucretia

The son of King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, Sextus Tarquinius, aroused the wrath of the Roman people by raping Lucretia, the wife of Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. After the assault, Lucretia summoned her father and husband, who arrived with two trusted companions, Lucius Junius Brutus and Publius Valerius. She revealed what had happened and made them swear an oath to avenge her. Declaring, "The body only has been violated; the mind is guiltless. Death shall be my witness. But pledge me your right hands and your honour, that the adulterer shall not go unpunished," she said, before took her own life with a dagger hidden in her cloak.

Grief turned to explosive rage. Led by Lucius Junius Brutus, Lucretia's body was brought from her home to the Forum, where Brutus addressed a large and astonished crowd. He called upon them to avenge the injustice done to Lucretia and to liberate Rome from the tyranny of the royal house. Stirred by his words, the crowd rose in rebellion. The uprising ended with the exile of King Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. His son, Sextus Tarquinius, was later killed in the city of Gabii. With the fall of Tarquinius, who had ruled for 25 years, the Romans abolished the monarchy, ending a regal tradition that had lasted over two centuries. In its place, they established the Republic, choosing Brutus and Collatinus as its first consuls.