Wars of Independence

• Conflict of the Orders (494-492 BC)


  Livy suggested that the Wars of Independence caused debt and homelessness among the poorest of plebeians who were forced to fight and fund their own army equipment. With many men fighting to protect Rome, businesses and farms struggled to survive as there was no one around to run shops/do manual labour. Poor families had to borrow money and as such fell into debt with patricians. The soldiers that returned home found themselves homeless or in extreme debt.

  The relationship between the plebs and patricians became strained because the plebs were either in debt, homeless, or both, and there was no system in place to help them, so the patricians could continue to exploit them by buying incredibly cheap land off of them and causing more homelessness.
• The Battle of Silvia Arsia (509/508 BC)


  Superbus enlisted the help of the Veii and Tarquinii and marched against Rome, determined to retake it for himself.

  Arruns (son of Superbus) and Brutus (consul) killed each other in the battle

  the Veii were defeated but the Tarquinii stood their ground.

  Publius Valerius, the consul appointed to replace Collatinus, was left as the only consul in Rome. He drove the Tarquinii back despite heavy losses. He reassured the people that he did not want to be king. He called an election to calm the people and Titus Lucretius was chosen as his colleague.
• The involvement of Lars Porsena (+Horatius Cocles)


  the Tarquins approached Lars Porsena, king of Clusium, for help. Clusium declared war on Rome.

  Porsena took control of the Janiculum Hill.

  3 men volunteered to defend the bridge into Rome, including Horatius Cocles, a distant relative of the Horatii triplets from Hostilius' reign.

  once the last Roman soldier crossed the bridge, they cut it away to stop the Tarquins getting into Rome.

  Cocles swam the river under heavy enemy fire, supposedly getting impaled for his hard work??
• The attempted assassination of Porsena by Gaius Mucius Scaevola


  Gaius Mucius approached the Senate and told them about his plan to murder Porsena. He said he knew how to get into the tent via Etruscan customs, but he did not know what Porsena looked like.

  Gaius Mucius successfully got into the tent but he did not murder Porsena; he murdered his secretary. As a result, he was arrested and brought before Porsena.

  He told Porsena that he was the first of 300 men that was going to attempt to assassinate him.
• Porsena and Clusium make peace with Rome (+Cloelia)


  Porsena tried to strike a deal with Rome; he would end the war if Rome guaranteed Veii's independence and provided him with hostages.

  Cloelia was one of these hostages and escaped from captivity by leading several other hostages to safety via the Tiber, which they swam through under heavy enemy fire.

  Porsena allowed Cloelia her freedom, along with a select number of hostages, as he admired her bravery.

  The peace treaty was kept and Rome eventually gained control over its neighbours again, including the Sabines in 499 BC.
• The Battle of Lake Regilius


  Postumius (dictator) and Aebutius (Master of the Horse) met the enemy (Latins + Superbus' posse) at Lake Regilius.

  Superbus and his son were both injured.

  Postumius ordered his own bodyguards to treat Romans that were fleeing as the enemy, and to treat them with no mercy.

  They eventually captured the Latin camp and won the battle.