1 Earliest Rome

1.8 The arrival of the Sibylline Books
1.8 The arrival of the Sibylline Books (sixth century B.C.)
The Sibylline Books were a collection of written oracles kept at Rome under
the charge of the quindecimviri, purportedly texts of the utterances of the Sibyl
of Cumae, an inspired prophetess (2.6c; 7.5). In this passage Dionysius relates
the stoty of the coming of the Sibylline Books to Rome. However fanciful the
details of this tale, it may nevertheless be significant that the story is associated
not with Romulus or Numa, but with Tarquin (the fifth king of Rome, conventionally
dated to 616-579 B.C., who was one of the 'Etruscan rulers of the
city - see 1.9). For it was in this later period that Rome developed contacts
with the Greek cities of South Italy, including the home of the Sibyl at Cumae,
suggesting that the cult at Cumae couldhzve had a direct influence on Roman
developments.
See further: Vol. 1, 27, 62-3; Warde Fowler (1911) 255-7*; Gage (1955)
24-38; Parke (1988) 76-8*.
Dionysius of Hallcarnassus, Roman Antiquities IV.62
There is a tradition that another exceptional piece of good fortune came to the city of
Rome during Tarquin's reign, a blessing conferred by some god or power. This was not
just a passing benefit, but one that saved Rome from disasters throughout its whole
histoty. A foreign woman approached the tyrant and offered to sell him nine books of
Sibylline Oracles; Tarquin refused to buy at her price, so she went away and burned three
of the nine. Then she brought the six remaining ones and offered them for the same price
as she had asked before. They thought her stupid and laughed at her, because she was
asking the very same price for fewer books that she had already failed to get for more of
them; but she just went off again and burned half those that were still left. Then she came
back with the three remaining and asked for the same price once again. Tarquin, now
becoming curious about the woman's purpose, sent for the augures, told them what had
happened and asked them what he should do. They realized by certain signs that what he
had rebuffed was a gift from the gods; so, they told him that it was a disaster that he had
not bought all the books and advised him to pay the woman the whole price she was
asking and to get the oracles that were still left. The woman handed over the books, told
him to take the greatest care of them and vanished from human sight.
1.9 Etruscan Rome and the Capitoline triad
Ancient accounts of Rome's early history claim that towards the end of the
regal period, in the sixth century B.C., the city was 'conquered' by the
Etruscans, the neighbouring people to the north of Rome - and that the two
Tarquins who ruled Rome as kings (Tarquin 'the Elder (see 1.8) and Tarquin
'the proud', the last king) were members or an Etruscan family. Whatever the
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