Early and Mid Roman Republic

The Expulsion of the Tyrant

509 BCE

Tarquin was the ruler of Rome, but no one liked him or his sons. No one was king of Rome after Tarquin. "Tarquinium et filios in Etruriam, ubi olim habitaverant, fugaverunt."

Mucius Scaevola

509 BCE

Lars Porsena captured mucius and tried to get him to reveal information about the plan. However, Mucius burned his right hand instead of giving up information. "Tum Mucius, 'Minis,' clamavit, 'animum non terruisti, beneficio superavisti...'"

The Battle of Lake Regillus

496 BCE

When Tarquin was in Etruria he conspired against the Romans. The Etruscans stormed Rome and the Romans fought back with Castor and Pollux. "Romani victoriam reportant et templum deis geminis dedicant."

Patricians and Plebeians

495 BCE

Plebeians rebelled against the patricians because they had sustained injustice. The patricians said they would treat the plebeians better if they fought the Volscians. "Placuit plebeiis patriciorum responsum."

The Secession of the Plebs

494 BCE

The plebeians left Rome and did not fight for the country or cultivate fields because the patricians did not keep their promises. That scared the patricians, so they created a tribune of the plebeians, so that the patricians were not the only ones that managed power. "Placuit plebeiis Agrippae consilium: ad domicilia reverterunt, pro patria pugnabant, agros colebant."

Coriolanus

491 BCE

A Roman called Coriolanus wanted to be consul, but the plebeians did not support him, instead they stopped cultivating fields and caused a lack of grain. Coriolanus went to live among Volscians and fought against Romans. "'O mater,' clamavit, 'patriam servavisti, filio exitium paravisti'"

Spurius Cassius

485 BCE

Spurius Cassius, the consul, said the plebeians would get rewarded for their victories. The patricians did not like Spurius Cassius for saying that so they put him to a shameful death. "Tandem Sp. Cassius, populi Romani consul, legem plebeiorum causa rogavit."

An Heroic Family

477 BCE

The Romans were waging war with Venetians when the consul, Caesar Fabius said that only members of the Fabius family would fight the Venetians. The Fabians fought the enemy, but in vain. "Gens omnis Fabia, praeter unum puerum, in pugna cecidit: nam, ubi ex urbe excesserunt, unum puerum propter aetatem domi reliquerant."

Cincinnatus

458 BCE

Cincinnatus, a former Roman consul, was made dictator so he could command troops. He got the troops ready and went to the enemy's camp to attack. "Victor hostes sub iugum misit, duces hostium captivos in triumpho per urbem duxit: postea ad parvum fundium revertit."

The Twelve Tables

450 BCE

Plebeians were still angry because only patricians administered justice, so ten men were assembled to make laws good to all. One of the men said they would not give up the power when the people did not like them anymore. "Tum iterum ad Montem Sacrum plebeii discesserunt: statim decemviri imperium deposuerunt nec iterum creati sunt."

Spurius Maelius

439 BCE

When there was a lack of food in the city, Spurius Maelius gave food to the plebeians, but that made the patricians angry. They accused him of a false crime and so Ahala and other patricians attacked and killed Maelius.

The Capture of Veii

396 BCE

Marcus Furius Camillus was made dictator to fight against the etruscans, and a priest told him to sacrifice to the gods so they would win. He made a sacrifice and brought back a victory, but the plebeians did not like him so they accused him of a false crime. "'Non me iudices damnabunt,' inquit; 'ultro in exsilium discedam; si innocens accusor, civitas ingrata mox desiderabit.'"

The Return of Camillus

388 BCE

Galls were trying to get to the Roman stronghold, but Marcus Manlius heard the noises of their geese, and called to other people and the Romans killed all the Galls trying to get in. The Romans had a lack of food, so they tried to buy safety, but then Camillus brought troops who butchered everyone. "Aurum in foro a Q. Sulpicio tribuno militum Brenno regi Gallico datur: ubi tribunus “Iniqua pondera,” inquit, “habetis, Galli,” Brennus ponderi gladium addidit: simul “Vae victis” clamavit."

The Capture of Rome

388 BCE

Barbarians were fighting Romans, who after seeing the barbarians fled to the city. The Gauls went to the forum, where they saw senators in ivory chairs, and one of the Gauls touched an senator's beard, and the senator hit his head and was killed. "Tum omnes ira moventur reliquosque senes in sellis trucidant."

The Fate of Marcus Manlius

384 BCE

Marcus Manlius defended the plebeians, so the patricians accused Marcus Manlius of trying to take the power. The patricians spread fear, so Marcus Manlius was also accused by the Tribune of the Plebs. "A iudicibus damnatus est et morti inhonestae traditus."

The Licinian Laws

367 BCE

Even though the tribune of the plebs had been created, the patricians still did not let the plebs have power, so Camillus, the dictator, said one consul will be a patrician, and one consul will be a plebeian. He also said the patricians would give up 500 iugera of land, and the plebeians will let a praetor, who manages laws, be a patrician. "Placuit omnibus Camilli consilium: postea nullae erant inter patricios et plebeios dissensiones: dictator templum Concordiae dedicavit."

Marcus Valerius Corvus

348 BCE

A Gaul approached the Roman camp and challenged Marcus Valerius to a battle and Marcus Valerius told him if the consuls weren't unpleasant then he would fight him alone, and the consuls gave their permission, and when they fought, raven sat on Valerius's helmet and pecked the gaul's eyes and mouth with its beak, so Valerius overcame the gaul. The Galls and the Romans started fighting. "Diu et acriter pugnabant: tandem Romani barbaros vicerunt et ad maris oram fugaverunt."

The Caudine Forks

321 BCE

The Roman army went into a narrow passage, but the Samnites had surrounded the passage and held the Roman army as if they were in prison. The Samnite general asked for the advice of his father, but he did not listen to his father and sent the Romans under the yoke and freed them. "Antea tamen C. Pontii iussu Romani pacem et amicitiam cum Samnitibus iureiurando confirmaverunt et obsides dederunt."

A Pyrrhic Victory

280 BCE

The people of Tarentus asked for help from Pyrrhus when they were fighting against the Romans, and so he brought Greeks and elephants to Italy, which scared Romans. Pyrrhus saw a lot of dead bodies, and decided that if he ever had another victory with so many deaths he would sail back to Epirus alone. "Utilissima fuit Pyrrho Cineae legati sapientia, nam plura oppida per eloquentiam conciliavit Cineas quam rex bello superavit:"

Chivalry in War

280 BCE

When the Romans were waging war with Pyrrhus, a Greek soldier came to the roman camp and offered to poison Pyrrhus for money so the Romans could win the war, but they told him they would rather lose the battle than pay him. Fabricius, the general, told roman soldiers to tell Pyrrhus, and Pyrrhus was moved by his deed and freed the roman captives. "'De pace,' inquiunt, 'Romani cum hostibus, dum in Italia sunt, non disserunt: tibi tamen, viro omnium generosissimo, libenter concedimus indutias.'"