Tullus Hostillius

(reigned 673-642) Tullus Hostilius, the grandson of a Roman General, Hostilius, was the chosen king by the people, their choice confirmed by the Senate. According to Livy [2], Tullius was 'Convinced that the vigour of the State was becoming enfeebled through inaction'.

He sought conflict with the Albans on the pretext that Alban peasants had been 'carrying off plunder' [2] in Roman territory, despite  Roman peasants doing the same. When both armies drew close, the Albans king, Mettius Fufetius, sent out a request for consultation.



Battle of Horatii and Curiatii sixteenth-century fresco by Cavalier d'Arpino



In this meeting between Fufetius and Hostilius, it was decided that it would be too risky for both cities to go to war with the oncoming power of the Estruscans so near by, and instead they selected brothers from each army to fight on their behalf. The brothers Horatii fought for the Romans, and the Curiatii for the Albans. Before the fight took place a treaty was made between the two peoples, signifying that 'the nation whose representatives proved victorious should receive the peaceable submission of the other', in order to prevent further conflict.[2]

After defeating two of his enemies, Horatius (of the Horatii brothers) allowed the final of the Curiatii brothers to live after he conceded defeat, leaving Rome victorious. And so it was that Tullus Hostilius conquered Alba Longa, the City from which Rome was born.