licius_ i. e. a bridge resting on piles.) He also founded a
city at its mouth, which he called OSTIA.

The next three kings were of Etruscan origin. LUCIUS TARQUINIUS PRISCUS
(616-578) went to Rome first during the reign of Ancus, and, becoming a
favorite of his, was appointed guardian of his sons. After the death of
Ancus, he wrested the government from them, and became king himself.
He increased the Senators to two hundred, carried on many wars
successfully, and thus enlarged the territory of the city. He built the
CLOACA MAXIMA, or great sewer, which is used to-day. Tarquin also began
the temple of JUPITER CAPITOLINUS, on the Capitoline Hill. He was killed
in the thirty-eighth year of his reign by the sons of Ancus, from whom
he had snatched the kingdom.

His successor was his son-in-law, SERVIUS TULLIUS (578-534), who
enlarged the city still more, built a temple to Diana, and took a census
of the people. It was found that the city and suburbs contained 83,000
souls. Servius was killed by his daughter, Tullia, and her husband,
Tarquinius Superbus, son of Priscus.

TARQUINIUS SUPERBUS succeeded to the throne (534-510). He was energetic
in war, and conquered many neighboring places, among which was Ardea,
a city of the Rutuli. He finished the temple of Jupiter, begun by his
father. He also obtained the SIBYLLINE BOOKS. A woman from Cumae, a
Greek colony, came to him, and offered for sale nine books of oracles
and prophecies; but the price seemed exorbitant, and he refused to
purchase them. The sibyl then burned three, and, returning, asked the
same price for the remaining six. The king again refused. She burned
three more, and obtained from the monarch for her last three the
original price. These books were preserved in the Capitol, and held in
great respect. They were destroyed with the temple by fire, on July 6,
83. Two men had charge of them, who were called _duoviri sacrorum_.
The worship of the Greek deities, Apollo and Latona, among others, was
introduced through these books.

In 510 a conspiracy was formed against Tarquin by BRUTUS, COLLATINUS,
and others, and the gates of the city were closed against him.
(Footnote: The cause of the conspiracy was the violence offered by
Sextus, Tarquin's son, to Lucretia, wife of Collatinus. Unable to bear
the humiliation, she killed herself in the presence of her family,
having first appealed to them to avenge her wrongs) A Republic was then
formed, with two Consuls at th