Myth, Propaganda and the Origins of the Roman Republic

The fall of the Tarquin dynasty and the foundational moments leading to the birth of the Roman Republic have inspired countless generations, but how much of the story is true? The legend of Lucretia had a profound impact on Roman political consciousness but did she even exist? Was the transition from monarchy to republicanism, and this enduring legacy that shaped Western political thought based on a lie?.

This video delves into the downfall of the Tarquin dynasty, the legendary story of Lucretia, and how these events ignited a revolution that led to the establishment of the Roman Republic, doing what we can to parse myth from fact as we wade deep into the Roman past.

00:00 - Separating Myth from History
02:03 - The Problem of Early Roman History
05:59 - The Ideology of the traditional narratives
10:25 - Etruscan Invasion - an alternative Theory
14:50 - The limits of knowledge

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Related Content:

Ancient Sources:
The History of Rome - Livy
Roman Antiquities - Dionysius of Halicarnassus
Histories - Tacitus
Natural History - Pliny the Elder

Modern Sources:
The Rise of Rome - Anthony Everitt
A Critical History of Early Rome - Gary Forsythe
The Beginnings of Rome - T.J. Cornell

[tribunateSPQR]

Do you believe the stories of Rome's origins should be taken literally?

[NomicFin]

Based on what Livius and Cicero wrote, I suspect a lot of the more educated Romans were aware that their early history was mostly a mix of myths, half-truths, and outright fabrication, but I doubt most of them would have cared. For the Romans the value of studying history was finding examples of virtues one should emulate or cautionary examples of actions one should avoid, so whether the story was true or not would matter less than whether it suited the narrative the Romans wanted to tell of themselves and whether it reinforced the morals and social norms they wanted people to live by.

[samuelcorbett]

I honestly thought this was a much larger channel. I was ready to roll my eyes at the call to action but, yeah, you're right to ask.

[ajwestgate]

I honestly believe the Roman monarchy was probably just an elected monarchy; most of the kings don’t seem to be related to each other. It should be noted that the monarchy never really went away. The Rex Sacrorum continued into the Republic. 509 BCE represents the transition of power from the Monarchy to the Senate with Monarchy becoming a religious title rather than a political one.

[donnyboy]

This has to be one of the best history channels on YouTube.
Your honesty and accuracy is refreshing. Thank you.

[B_Estes_Undegöetz]

Thanks again for another excellent video. I’ve been a subscriber for a few weeks but today I decided to become a new member of the channel due to the consistent superior content and how frequently you publish it! Looking forward to what’s next!

[philbuttler]

It's nice to find a perspective on Rome that isn't made by someone who fetishize Rome. I really like your humanistic perspective.

[gowilove]

Great video guys, thanks for taking on board my idea for this topic

[StanGB]

Great analysis of the problems with Roman sources and the difficulties inherent in trying to understand history from the limited available evidence

[coopermiller]

Just found your channel and as a leftist it’s so refreshing to have someone taking about Rome who isn’t a psycho 😊

[Lucasp]

Great vid as always!!

I for one tend to give the benefit of the doubt when there is ambiguity. If not for anything else, it makes for a more interesting past

[ProbusVerus]

I think the Romans didn't care if the story was truthful or not. The important part was the message that was given to the current generation. I don't think we will ever know the truth. These myths are what the Roman needed to support their society, State and morality. Ancient people really didn't care they used myths and narration as just another tool in the box of statecrafting. We do it today too albeit in a much more refined way. Think of the american dream, the selfmade man and many others.

[ApolloV]

Much information about early Rome was lost when the the Celts from what is now northern Italy sacked Rome.

[jasonfunderberker]

thanks for the video, it was done well. i'm so glad you mentioned the Herculaneum scrolls, i love that sort of thing and it made for an interesting rabbit hole of reading.

[MatthewCaunsfield]

Great idea for a video 👍
Any more myths you will tackle?

[Jop_pop]

These videos are so good I've been binging like crazy

[AetherNoble]

I love the healthy dose of historical skepticism in all your videos. I’m sick of every Romabro acting as baby’s first exposure to ancient history (or myth, as it were!).

[youngcato]

I’ve seen this theory before, and it has its appeal. It’s worth noting that the first two consuls were related to the deposed monarch. Maybe Lars hoped that their blood connections would add legitimacy to the new arrangement.

[Kuudere-Kun]

The similarities between Rome and Athens late 6th Century BC Revolution is hardly evidence one must be a fiction, Revolutions usually come in groups, like how the French Revolution followed not long after the American, and there were some other lesser known Revolutions from that time as well.

As far as the relationship with the Etruscans goes, I think you have it backwards, it was the Tarquin Dynasty that was Etruscan foreign occupation to begin with, but because later Romans didn't want to admit to having been conquered they presented the last thing 3 Kings as merely ethnic Etruscans who were still Elected like the prior Kings.

Porsena may have had more victories over the rebellious Romans then the later narratives wanted to admit, but that hardly means they didn't win the war in the end. Brittan had lots of victories during the Revolutionary War.

[defm]

Is the statue at 16:43 a depiction of the god Janus? I assume so because of the face on the back of his head, but I have never seem him depicted as a younger man before, so I am curious.