Lucius Junius Brutus
The man who feigned dullness to destroy a king and forge a republic.
Lucius Junius Brutus (died c. 509 BC) was the semi-legendary founder of the Roman Republic and traditionally one of its two first consuls. Depicted as responsible for the expulsion of his uncle, the Roman king Tarquinius Superbus after the rape and suicide of Lucretia, in the traditional accounts it is he who led the overthrow of the Roman monarchy. He was then involved in securing the abdication of fellow consul Tarquinius Collatinus, and the suppression of a plot to restore the Tarquinian monarchy. He was claimed as an ancestor of the Roman gens Junia, including Decimus Junius Brutus and Marcus Junius Brutus, the most infamous of Julius Caesar's assassins.
- Role
- First Consul of the Roman Republic
- Affiliation
- Roman Senate / Revolutionary Faction
- Key Achievement
- Expulsion of King Tarquin the Proud
- Family Connection
- Descendant of the Tarquins via his mother
Lore & Background
According to Livy, Brutus had a number of grievances against his uncle the king, including that Tarquinius had put to death a number of the chief men of Rome, including Brutus' brother. Brutus avoided the distrust of Tarquinius's family by feigning that he was slow-witted (in Latin brutus translates to dullard). He accompanied Tarquinius's sons on a trip to the Oracle of Delphi. The sons asked the oracle which of them was going to be Rome's next king. The Oracle of Delphi responded that the first among them to kiss their mother 'shall hold supreme sway in Rome.' Brutus interpreted 'mother' to mean Gaia, so he pretended to trip and kissed the ground. Brutus, along with Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus, Publius Valerius Poplicola, and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus were summoned by Lucretia to Collatia after she had been raped by Sextus Tarquinius. Lucretia, believing that the rape dishonoured her and her family, committed suicide by stabbing herself with a dagger after telling of what had befallen her. According to legend, Brutus grabbed the dagger from Lucretia's breast after her death and immediately shouted for the overthrow of the Tarquins.
In Their Own Story
The four men gathered the youth of Collatia, then went to Rome where Brutus summoned the people to the forum and exhorted them to rise up against the king. Later accounts, like that in Livy, assert that Brutus was at the time one of the cavalry officers – tribunus celerum. The people voted for the deposition of the king, and the banishment of the royal family. The leaders of the revolt were close relatives of the king: Brutus was the king's nephew and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus was king's cousin. The king, who was conducting a war near and camped at Ardea, rushed to Rome on news of the coup, but found the city barred; at the same time, the coup leaders won over the army and then expelled the king's sons. Tarquinius Superbus fled with his family into exile. According to Livy, Brutus' first act after the expulsion of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was to bring the people to swear an oath never to allow any man again to be king in Rome. He made them take an oath that they would not suffer any man to reign in Rome.
Reader's Guide
Lucius Junius Brutus is the archetypal revolutionary whose personal sacrifice defined an era. Initially surviving as a perceived dullard to escape the wrath of King Tarquin, he transforms into Rome's most decisive leader upon witnessing the violation of Lucretia. His role shifts from survivor to founder, becoming the first Consul who prioritizes the state above all else. Brutus and Lucretia's bereaved husband, Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, were elected as the first consuls of Rome (509 BC Varronian). During his consulship the royal family made an attempt to regain the throne, firstly by their ambassadors seeking to subvert a number of the leading Roman citizens in the Tarquinian conspiracy. Amongst the conspirators were two brothers of Brutus' wife, Vitellia, and Brutus' two sons: Titus Junius Brutus and Tiberius Junius Brutus. The conspiracy was discovered and the consuls determined to punish the conspirators with death. Brutus gained respect for his stoicism in watching the execution of his own sons, even though he showed emotion during the punishment. Tarquinius again sought to retake the throne soon after at the Battle of Silva Arsia. Arruns Tarquinius, the king's son, led the Etruscan cavalry. The two men, who were cousins, charged each other, and speared each other to death.
Did You Know?
- In Latin, 'brutus' translates to 'dullard' – Brutus feigned being slow-witted to avoid the distrust of his uncle King Tarquinius.
- Brutus interpreted the Oracle of Delphi's prophecy about kissing one's mother to mean the earth goddess Gaia, so he pretended to trip and kissed the ground.
- Brutus personally oversaw the execution of his own sons, Titus Junius Brutus and Tiberius Junius Brutus, for conspiring to restore the Tarquinian monarchy.
- Brutus and his cousin Arruns Tarquinius killed each other in battle at Silva Arsia – both charging and spearing each other to death.
- Brutus was claimed as an ancestor of Marcus Junius Brutus, the most infamous of Julius Caesar's assassins.