Latin Project

The Expulsion of the Tyrant

509 BCE

"Sed Romani nec Tarquinium nec filium Tarquinii Sextum amaverunt. Itaque populus contra tyrannos coniuravit."
Tarquinius Superbus was the seventh and final king of Rome because many didn't like him or his son. So they conspired and sent him and his family into exile.
(Photo courtesy of http://www.archaeology.wiki/)

Mucius Scaevola

508 BCE

"Castra intrat, sed, quoniam Porsenam ignorabant, scribam tyranni tyranno necavit...Mucium nec ira nec minae terruerunt...In ara prope Porsenam flamma ardebat."
Mucius Scaevola conspired against Porsena and snuck into his camp to kill him but instead killed the wrong person. To demonstrate his bravery, since Porsena was threatening him, put his right hand into the flames, impressed Porsena, and was freed.
(photo courtesy of https://imgur.com)

Battle of Lake Regillus

496 BCE

"Etrusci contra Romanos pro Tarquinio coniuraverunt et socios ad bellum vocabant. Copias prope muros Romae collocant et agros vastabant: Romanos trans fluvium fugant. Iam Romam prope expugnaverant, sed Horatius Cocles cum Spurio Lartio et Tito Herminio Patriam servavit."
When the Romans forced Tarquinius Superbus to leave, the Etruscans plotted against the Romans. They nearly conquered Rome but Horatius Cocles guarded the bridge.
(Photo courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org)

Patricians and Plebians

494 BCE

"Patricii soli imperium administrabant: plebeii miseri pro patriciis contra finitimos populos pugnabant, saepe superabant, victoriae tamen emolumenta habebant nulla."
The Plebians were being oppressed by the patricians and were really mad.
(Photo courtesy of http://sites.psu.edu)

The Secession of the Plebs

494 BCE

"'Non iam,' clamabant, “pro patria pugnabimus nec agros colemus, nisi patricii promissa praestabunt.Placuit plebeiis Agrippae consilium: ad domicilia reverterunt, pro patria pugnabant, agros colebant. Quotannis plebeii tribunos creabant: tribunorum arbitrio etiam patricii parebant.'”
The Plebians left the Patricians alone, causing the system to fall apart. Agrippa, however, convinced the Plebians to stay if tribunes were made.
(Photo courtesy of http://history-talk.com)

Coriolanus

491 BCE

"Tum Coriolanus, 'Propter plebeios,' clamavit, 'inopia in urbe est: itaque frumentum inter plebeios non dividemus...Tum cum hostibus populi Romani bellum contra patriam gessit, patriae agros vastavit."
King Gelon sent grain to the city since there was a scarcity of it, but Coriolanus wouldn't divide it evenly because the Plebians aren't working. So, Coriolanus plotted to attack the Roman people until his family came and begged him to stop.
(Photo courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org)

Spurius Cassius

485 BCE

"Tandem Sp. Cassius, populi Romani ocnsul, legem plebeiorum causa rogavit...patricii falsis criminibus accusaverunt et iudices damnaverunt."
Spurius Cassius proposed a law for the sake of the Plebians. Many people, however, thought that he was conspiring against the Roman people, so they killed him.
(Photo courtesy of http://casualbutchery.blogspot.com)

An Heroic Family

477 BCE

"Tum repente magnos hostium clamores audiverunt: undique Veientes iaculis et sagittis oppugnaverunt. Frustra Fabii contra ingentes copias hostium pugnabant."
The Veientes formed a plan for an ambush of the Fabii by leading a herd of cattle along a road in order to lure the Romans from their camp and into an ambush. The Veientes sprang from their hiding places and surrounded the Fabii and killed them.
(Photo courtesy of scottmanning.com)

Cincinnatus

458 BCE

"'Dictator, Cincinnate,' inquiebant, 'creatus es: nisi statim ad urbem veneris et copias Romanos contra Aequos duxeris, nostri ab hostibus superbantur, cives omnes necabuntur.'"
Quinctius Cincinnatus was chosen to help the Roman people when they were waging war with the Aequen. He won and went back to his farm.
(Photo courtesy of https://kids.britannica.com)

The Twelve Tables

450 BCE

"Tandem pro consulibus decemviri a populo creati sunt: decemviri primo bene imperium administraverunt et leges omnibus notas condebant."
Ten men had been elected by the people and they put together all the well-known laws.
(Photo courtesy of http://www.like2do.com/)

Spurius Maelius

439 BCE

"Propter liberalitatem magno in honore a plebeiis habebatur, patriciorum autem iram movebat. Itaque falsis crimibus accusatus...tim Ahala cum turba iuvenum patriciorum forum intravit; Maelium telis oppugnaverunt et necaverunt."
Spurius Maelius bought grain for the poor citizens but the Roman citizens were falsely accusing him of crimes. Because they thought he was seeking power, Ahala and the citizens killed him with weapons.
(Photo courtesy of rijksmuseum.nl)

The Capture of Veii

396 BCE

"Simul ex omni parte urbis muri a Romanis oppugnabantur: alii arcem per cuniculum intraverunt. Camillus propter victoriam triumphum egit."
M. Furius Camillus conquered the Vein city.
(Photo courtesy of saltlakeco.com)

The Capture of Rome

390 BCE

"Galli urbem intrant, ad forum veniunt: mirum ibbi spectalum oculis ostendiur: hostium expectabant: magistratus in eburneis sellis sederunt honorumque insigna gerebant...Tum unus e Gallis M. Papirii brbam manu permulsit:senex iratus caput scipone eburneo ferit statimque a barbaro necatur."
The Gauls plundered and overcame the Capitol and killed Gallis M. Papirii.
(Photo courtesy of http://saltlakeco.com/)

The Return of Camillus

390 BCE

"Interea tamen exercitus a M. Furio Camillo exsule in Etruria collectus erat: verba insolentia a rege vix dicta erant ubi Camillus cum novis copiis forum intravit. Statim Gallos scri impetu oppugnant omnesque mox trucidant."
When the Gauls were distracted, Camillus and his new soldiers came from Etruria and attacked them.
(Photo courtesy of alamy.com)

The Fate of M. Manlius

385 BCE

"Postea pauperum causam contra patricios defendit. Statim patricii Manlium, sicut antea Sp. Cassium et Sp. Maelium, accusaverunt."
Since Marcus Manlius was defending the Plebians, the Patricians falsely accused him of crimes. He was found guilty and was killed.
(Photo courtesy of alchetron.com)

The Licinian Laws

368 BCE

"Tandem Camillus dictator rempublicam iterum servavit...Placuit omnibus Camilli consiliu: postea nullae erant inter patricios et plebeios dissensiones dictator templum Concordiae dedicavit."
Many citizens were departing on account of the tribunes. Camillus, however, saved the republic by enacting the Licinian Laws.
(Photo courtesy of myhistro.com)

M.Valerius Corvus

349 BCE

"Vix iam manum conseruerant, ubi corvus repente in galea Valerii consedit et itentidem os oculosque hostis rostro appetivit. Itaque mox Romanus barbarum superat."
As Valerius and a Gallic warrior approached each other, a raven settled on Valerius’ helmet and it distracted the enemy's attention by flying at his face, allowing Valerius to kill the enemy Gaul. The Gauls and the Romans then fought, ending in a Roman victory.
(Photo courtesy of artvalue.com)

The Caudine Forks

321 BCE

"Filius tamen patris consilium neglexit: Romanos sub iugum misit, tum liberavit. Antea tamen C. Pontii iussu Romani pacem et amicitiam cum Samnitibus iureiurando confirmaverunt et obsides dederunt."
The battle of the Caudine Forks was a humiliating defeat inflicted on the Romans by a Samnite army in the Apennine Mountains.
(Photo courtesy of alamy.com)

A Pyrrhic victory

280 BCE

"Pyrrhus cum maximo exercitu Graecorum ad Italiam venit et cum Romanis prope Heracleam pugnavit. Tum primum in proelium contra Romanos elephanti ducti sunt. Romani partim propter animalium ingentium timorem, partim propter optimam disciplinam Graecorum victi sunt. Plurimi tamen utrimque cediderunt. "
King Pyrrhus went with a great army and fought with the Greeks. Their army, however, suffered a great loss but won.
(Photo courtesy of http://www.comicartfans.com)

Chivalry in War

280 BCE

“Via ad victoriam facillima Romanis aperitur,” inquit; “si pecuniam mihi dabis, castra petam, regem veneno necabo.” Respondit Fabricius, “Ingratior erit nobis eiusmodi victoria quam miserrima clades: virtute, non perfidia, hostes vincimus.”
Fabricius went to Fabricius to negotiate for the ransoming of Roman prisoners. Before releasing the prisoners, Pyrrhus sought to bribe Fabricius in the hope to obtain peace from the Romans but it didn't work.
(Photo courtesy of encyclopedian.blogspot.com)