Foundation Stories of Rome: The Rape of Lucretia

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Foundation stories are accounts that aren’t just focused on historical facts, but rather highlight a personality trait or goodness of a country's founder. One of the most important foundation stories of Ancient Rome was called “The Rape of Lucretia”, written by the Roman historian Livy as part of his larger work on the History of Rome. This story was written around the first century A.D., almost 500 years after the actual event took place. In this story, the King of Rome’s son, Sextus Tarquinius, decides to rape Lucretia, who was the virtuous and chaste wife of his friend Conlatinus. Tarquinius threatens to kill Lucretia and frame her for adultery if she doesn’t submit, so he takes away her honor and then leaves. Lucretia immediately sends for her father and her husband Conlatinus to come and hear her shameful news. She was very distraught and said, “My body is greatly soiled, though my heart is still pure, as my death will prove” (Livy). The men tried to assure her that it wasn’t her fault and promised they would kill Tarquinius for retribution, but Lucretia swore that she wouldn’t bring dishonor to her husband and pulled a knife out of her skirt, stabbed herself to death. Conlatinus’ friend Brutus, who was also there, promised that he would exile the King and his family out of Rome and swore “never to tolerate Kings in Rome evermore, whether of that family of any other”. (Livy) This foundation story of Lucretia was important to Rome for several reasons and can be interpreted in different ways.

1. The Virtue of Honor

Livy used this foundation story as a way to emphasize important, traditional Roman morals of honor and virtue. Lucretia didn’t want to bring dishonor to her husband, so she sacrificed herself to save her husband’s honor. In return, her husband and Brutus avenged her by removing the king from his throne and exiling his family from Rome. This story was important to Rome in a personal way because was used as an example of the virtue of honor.

2. Revolution Spark

This foundation story was also important to Rome because it sparked the revolution to end the monarchy and form the Roman Republic. After Lucritia’s death, Brutus swore to never let a king rule in Rome again and he led a rebellion to end the monarchy so the people could set up a republic. This story described the dangers of having a corrupt king in full power of Rome and it led to the development of a more balanced governmental system.

3. Augustus (First Emperor of Rome)

This foundation story could also be interpreted as a political jab at Augustus, who was Caesar’s adopted son and a Roman general rising to power during Livy’s time. Livy may have told this story to remind the Roman people of the dangers of letting Augustus take full control of the Republic by becoming emperor. In the story of Lucretia, Brutus was seen as the “saviour” of the Roman Republic and Livy may have wanted people to make the connection of Lucretia's Brutus with the Brutus who murdered Julius Caesar, another general who like Augustus was getting too powerful over the Republic.

4. Parable of the Virtuous Women

This foundation story could also be interpreted as a parable where Lucretia is a symbol for the pure, virgin city of Rome and Tarquine represents the king who rapes the city of its honor and former glory. The parable of the virtuous women was seen in not only ancient Roman sources, but also in Hebrew and Greek literature.

5. Roman Tradition

Livy recognized Roman tradition and the importance of looking to the past to move forward to the future. This foundation story would have been important because it reminded everyone of what happened in Rome’s past when there was a monarchy, and Rome was heading towards that again in the future when Augustus became the first emperor of Rome and started the Roman empire in 27 BCE.

Works Cited

Livy. “The Rape of Lucretia.” Internet History Sourcebooks Project: Ancient History, Ancient history sourcebook, sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/livy-rape.asp. Accessed 22 Sept. 2023.