Porsenna

Porsenna (in Latin also written Porsinna or Porsena ) is leading a Etruscan which took temporarily the control of Rome at the end of the VI E. He is generally not regarded as a Roman king. The literary tradition finds in this episode the occasion to reveal several mythical figures of the history of Rome.

The traditional account

Tarquins

After ignominieusement drive outbeing ignominieusement driven out of Rome, the Tarquins take refuge near the lar Porsenna ( lar = military chief), king of Clusium in Étrurie. Convinced by their supplications and the strategic interest included/understood well of the Etruscan , Porsenna decides to go on hardly released Rome of the supervision of the kings (508 before J. - C.).

Horatius Coclès

The reputation and the power of Porsenna cause the fear of the City which however succeeds in overcoming its internal quarrels. At the time of the first attack, Porsenna seizes the Janicule. Horatius Coclès remains alone (with Spurius Larcius and Titus Herminius), to defend the passage towards the City while, behind him, one business to destroy the Pont Sublicius on the the Tiber. They support a first attack, then Horatius returns his/her comrades in arms and resists until the bridge crumbles in the river. Then it plunges in the the Tiber and arrives miraculeusement healthy and except on other bank where he becomes a hero.

See Horatius Coclès

Caius Mucius Scaevola

After this failure, Porsenna gives up the attack and establishes the seat of the City. In spite of some ambushes which make it careful, Porsenna maintains the blockade. Pushed with end by the difficult conditions of the seat, the young person Caius Mucius tries a solitary step then. He is introduced surreptitiously into the Etruscan camp and tries to assassinate Porsenna. Unfortunately, its ignorance leads it to be mistaken, it confuses the king with his secretary and stabs this last. Subjected to a interrogation, it tightens itself its right hand above a flame to show the courage and the determination of Roman youth. Impressed, Porsenna lets it set out again. Mucius tells him whereas they are three hundred young patricians like him, ready to assassinate it. Caius Mucius will preserve the nickname of Scaevola (the left-handed person).

See Caius Mucius Scaevola

Clélie

Rome then obtains the lifting of the seat and the fold of Porsenna which gives up restoring the royalty of Tarquins in front of the determination of the Romans. The price of its departure is the restitution of territory in the Etruscan city of Veies and the delivery of a certain number of hostages. Among them, an young girl, Clélie, manage to mislead the monitoring of her guards and to escape from the stroke with the other young girls through the the Tiber. Porsenna, piqué with sharp, but admiring, require that one give Clélie to him, in order to release it itself. What was made. To celebrate the courage of the young girl, the Romans raise a equestrian Statue to him on the crowned Voie.

After an ultimate attempt in favor of Tarquins, Porsenna gives up Rome. To save appearances, it decides to attack the city of Arricie. But following a stratagem, its army (partially) is destroyed; certain Etruscan soldiers will find an asylum in Rome. Without hope, Tarquin the Superb one is exiled with Tusculum.

“Thus a durable peace between the Romans and Porsenna is established. ” Tite-Live, Roman History , II-15.

The historical reflection

Because of the legendary character of the account and lack of documents, the questions which put the episode of Porsenna are numerous:

is Porsenna posterior with the fall of Tarquins?
does the étruque aggression aim the City specifically or is this an attempt at (Re) putting at the step all the Latin league, or acts it of a rising of the Latin cities against Rome?
Which was the real success of the forwarding of Porsenna. Did it dominate the City? Rome it capitulated - it is for example what the historian Tacite supports.

Source

Tite-Live, Roman History , Garnier-Flammarion

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