r/ancientrome

In 146 BCE, Rome demolished Carthage, killing and enslaving its population. One problem. There was nobody left to sign a treaty officially ending the Third Punic War.

On February 5, 1985, Ugo Vetere, the mayor of Rome, travelled to Tunisia and signed a peace treaty with Chedli Klibi, the mayor of modern Carthage and secretary-general of the Arab League. The Italians said that they hoped "to set an example in a troubled world." Klibi called the treaty "the last act, sealing symbolically our final reconciliation."

The treaty was not entirely symbolic. It included an agreement for the Italian government to provide substantial restoration and preservation funding for the Carthage archeological site. Today, Carthage is the most visited attraction in Tunisia with more than 1 million visitors annually.

So I will admit compared to people like Hannibal or arminius my knowledge of pyrrhus is more spotty. However when I made a post asking who was your favorite enemy of Rome this man's name came up multiple times.

My question is why is he so renowned? Although my knowledge of him is relatively spotty I know that he won only two victories against the Romans both of which were too costly to him, he invaded rome to help out Greek city-states and as an excuse to make his own empire, that his victories were so costly that it literally coined the term "pyrhic victory". He doesn't really seem to me to have left as much of an impact as Hannibal or arminius.

So what about him was so great? I'm not necessarily saying he's not deserving of it as I said I don't know a whole lot about him it's just what I do know isn't the most flattering. But if you know more then please educate me!

The Medusa mosaic is being protected during the winter months to preserve it from the harsh weather conditions. The mosaic, which adorns the orchestra section of the Odeion building in the ancient city of Kibyra in Burdur and is made with thin marble slabs using the "opus sectile" technique, is approximately 2,000 years old.

Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, known as Tarquin the Elder, was Ancus Marcius’ natural successor after gaining his liking. Of Etruscan origin, he ruled Rome with vision and a sharp engineering attitude. He built the likes of the cloaca maxima (that was likely inspired by sewers in Etruria), the circus Maximus, and the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. In this painting by Sebastiano Ricci, we can see Tarquin consulting Attus Nevius the Augur. Tarquin sought to make political changes that honoured himself. Attus Nevius opposed Tarquins desires, citing that in order to do this, the omens must first be right. To prove this and that he had the will of the divine, he cut through a whetstone with a razor.

In this painting we can see a few key details.  First, is the auger pleading on his knees to Tarquin to listen to his divine request. On the very left we can see a man raising his hand to get the auger to “chill out” and to compose himself in from of the King. On the right, we see a mother holding her child as she watches the proceeding, she is uninvolved with the interactions since caring for her child is the most important priority, but she is still curious and perhaps slightly entertained by the auger’s desperate plead. 

Despite the people behind the auger downplaying him, Tarquin the Elder still stands interested, and takes the auger’s plead seriously. This is a reflection of his Engineering mindset. He places his hand on his chin, squints down at the auger and sincerely listens to what he has to say. 

“Please!!! You must listen!!! I have blessings of the divine!!!! See as I cut through this stone with my blade!!!! 

• Cries Attus Nevius

“Hmmm, go on….” 

• Says Tarquin the Elder

Tarquin the Elder is a role model because even despite being King of Rome, who is basked in power and riches, still spends the time to listen to an individual considered inferior to the King. We can find this trait in many examples such as the Citicorp Center engineering crisis, which ended up saving lives.

Thank you