Location Of The Tarpeian Rock

[Tobias]

The Tarpeian Rock; traditional place of execution for Roman citizen traitors, the favourite threat of the Tribunes of the Plebs against obstructive Senators and a famous historical overhang. We have many references to this famous place in Roman history. However, where was it in ancient Rome, and whereabouts would it's position have been in modern day Rome? It is said that it was visible from the lower Forum Romanum. Unfortunately, that doesn't give the best idea of where it was. Anybody got any ideas?

[phil25]

I have sometimes looked when in Rome, but the Capitoline Hill has so changed and been redeveloped so much over time that I suspect the location is lost.

 

This used to be one of those popular historical games - like plotting the plan of Pliny's villa from the description he gives - that C19th academics and classicists used to play. If you look into library cataolgues - especially older ones - you might find some leads. But for all the theorising, I don't think a concensus was ever reached.

 

In any case, how could the location or identity of the Tarpeian Rock ever be established beyond doubt vy archaeological means? It would probably need an inscription to be found saying "This is the Tarpeian Rock"!!

 

As the Capitoline Hill is pretty craggy it could be anywhere.

 

But yes, I have stood on the flagstones of the Forum and tried to identify where it might have been.

 

Phil

[NotTitusPullo]

What is the Tarpaian Rock? I've read that people get thrown from it in Ancient Rome. I surmise (but I can be wrong) that getting thrown off the Tarpaian Rock is a punishment for the highest ranking citizens who aren't given the noble suicide option? You wouldn't put a wealthy man with three names and ancestry stretching back to the founding of the Republic in an arena to fight gladiators. Would they?

 

Where was the Tarpaian Rock in Rome proper or outside the city?

 

Did I spell Tarpaian right?

[Lost_Warrior]

Being thrown off of the Tarpaian Rock was the punishment for a Vestal Virgin who broke her vow of chastity. It was also the punishment for patricide, I believe, to be put in a bag with a dog and a chicken (what those creatures have anything to do with anything I have no clue) and thrown off the rock. This was supposed to symbolize being "un-born" since if you killed your father, you could not have been born.

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

I thought Vestal Virgins get buried alive...

[Lost_Warrior]

Maybe they did. I may be mistaken.

[P.Clodius]

Vestal got buried alive..Traitors, or those convicyed of treasonous crimes were dragged to the Tarpaian rock with a hook through the jaw or neck and thrown off the rock.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

I thought with patricide they did the dog and chicken thing then threw you in the Tiber??

[Primus Pilus]

It was mainly reserved for traitors as already suggested but additionally, from the Twelve Tables:

Table VIII

23. A person who had been found guilty of giving false witness shall be hurled down from the Tarpeian Rock.

 

The rock takes its name from a legendary early (perhaps... explained below) Vestal Tarpeia who supposedly let the Sabines in the gates of Rome for jewelry. She was buried atop the rock and not hurled off however. Whether this is true or not is anyone's guess, including Livy's.

 

From Livy:

Spurius Tarpeius was in command of the Roman citadel. Whilst his daughter had gone outside the fortifications to fetch water for some religious ceremonies, Tatius bribed her to admit his troops within the citadel. Once admitted, they crushed her to death beneath their shields, either that the citadel might appear to have been taken by assault, or that her example might be left as a warning that no faith should be kept with traitors. A further story runs that the Sabines were in the habit of wearing heavy gold armlets on their left arms and richly jeweled rings, and that the girl made them promise to give her `what they had on their left arms,' accordingly they piled their shields upon her instead of golden gifts. Some say that in bargaining for what they had in their left hands, she expressly asked for their shields, and being suspected of wishing to betray them, fell a victim to her own bargain.

 

Varro says that Tarpeia was a Vestal, but Plutarch in the Life of Numa explains that a woman named Tarpeia was one of the first four Vestals. He does not relate whether or not this is the same Tarpeia, but he doesn't say it wasn't either. (Clearly he would have no way to know this anyway).

 

The rock itself was a part of the Capitoline Hill most likely on the southwest corner. Here it overlooks the forum which according to Dionysius of Halicarnassus is where the executions took place.

 

Book VII Chapter XXXV

Having said this, he commanded that he be led to the hill that overlooks the Forum; this is an exceeding high precipice from which they used to hurl those who were condemned to death.

 

And Book VIII Chapter LXXVIII

...they were so exasperated at the name of tyranny that they did not moderate their resentment even in the degree of his punishment, but sentenced him to death. For they were afraid that if a man who was the ablest general of his time should be driven from his country into exile, he might follow the example of Marcius in dividing his own people and uniting their enemies, and bring a relentless war upon his country. This being the outcome of his trial, the quaestors led him to the top of the precipice that overlooks the Forum and in the presence of all the citizens hurled him down from the rock. For this was the traditional punishment at that time among the Romans for those who were condemned to death.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Does anyone have a source telling us exactly where it was? "Overlooking the forum" is pretty vague. When standing in the Forum today, there are a number of good candidates for Tarpeian Rock (although honestly it didn't look like any of them would have led to a decisively lethal fall).

[Primus Pilus]

Does anyone have a source telling us exactly where it was? "Overlooking the forum" is pretty vague. When standing in the Forum today, there are a number of good candidates for Tarpeian Rock (although honestly it didn't look like any of them would have led to a decisively lethal fall).

 

I've also read somewhere that its supposedly the hill that directly overlooks the Piazza della Consolazione. I'm clueless on the accuracy of it though.

[Sula]

I thought with patricide they did the dog and chicken thing then threw you in the Tiber??

I thought that those guilty of patricide were put in a sack with a dog, roster and a snake then thrown into the Tiber. Could be wrong.

[P.Clodius]

This picture isn't all that good but it gives you an idea.

[Gaius Octavius]

Was it a rock or was it rocks?

[phil25]

I always understood it was A rock (singular). In my mind;s eye, I assumed it was an out-thrust, overhanging ledge or outcrop that meant that anyone thrown of it would fall/drop a long way - to certain death - rather than roll or "bounce" down the hillside.

 

But at almost any point in the "Dark Ages" (so-called) between (say) 410 and 1500 - the period when classical studies were not very much pursued - the rock might have eroded and fallen, or been quarried for building material.

 

That said, I have often felt also that concentrated archaeological and topographical work, plus logic and reference to the classical sources should be able to identify the spot.

 

Phil