Historiae Romanorum

Lucretia

The wife of Collatinus.  She was raped by Sextus Tarquin, the son of Tarquinius Superbus.

Lucretia summoned her father and Collatinus, who returned with his friend Brutus..  She told them what Sextus had done, and made them promise to seek revenge.  Then, she took out a knife and stabbed herself in the heart.

It was this incident that sparked the overthrow of Tarquinius Superbus and the establishment of the Republic.

Source(s):

1. Livy.  Ab Urbe Condita.

This page was last updated on July 21, 2004.