View source for Rutuli

{{short description|Ancient people in Italy}}

{{distinguish|Rutul people}}

{{Campaignbox Wars of Etruscan Rome}}

[[File:Ancient_Latium.png|thumb|alt=A map of central Italy is depicted|Map of Roman latium]]
The '''Rutuli''' or '''Rutulians''' were an ancient people in Italy. The Rutuli were located in a territory whose capital was the ancient town of [[Ardea, Lazio|Ardea]], located about 35&nbsp;km southeast of Rome.<ref>Hazlitt, William. ''The Classical Gazetteer'' (1851), p. 297.</ref>

Thought to have been descended from the [[Umbri]] and the [[Pelasgians]], according to modern scholars they were more probably connected with the [[Etruscans|Etruscan]] or [[Ligures|Ligurian]] peoples.<ref>Nicholas Hammond, Howard Scullard.Dizionario di antichità classiche. Milano, Edizioni San Paolo, 1995, p.1836-1836. {{ISBN|88-215-3024-8}}.</ref>

== Mythological history ==

In [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'', and also according to Livy,<ref>[[Livy]], ''[[Ab urbe condita libri (Livy)|Ab urbe condita]]'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 1#2|1.2]]</ref> the Rutuli are led by [[Turnus]], a young prince to whom [[Latinus]], king of the [[Latins (Italic tribe)|Latins]], had promised the hand of his daughter [[Lavinia]] in marriage. When the [[Troy|Trojans]] arrived in Italy, Latinus decided to give his daughter to [[Aeneas]] instead because of instructions he had received from the gods to marry his daughter to a foreigner. Turnus was outraged and led his people as well as several other Italian tribes against the Trojans in war. Virgil's text ends when Aeneas defeats Turnus in single combat and therefore confirms his right to marry Lavinia. In some other accounts of the story of Aeneas, Latinus is later killed in a subsequent battle with the Rutuli.<ref>[[Strabo]], [[Geographica]], 5:3:2</ref>

== War with Rome under Tarquinius Superbus ==

During the 6th century BC, in Rome's early semi-legendary history, [[Ancient Rome|Rome]]'s seventh and final [[Roman Kingdom|king]] [[Lucius Tarquinius Superbus]] went to war with the Rutuli. According to [[Livy]], the Rutuli were, at that time, a very wealthy and powerful people. Tarquinius was desirous of obtaining the booty that would come with victory over the Rutuli.<ref>[[Livy]], ''[[Ab urbe condita libri (Livy)|Ab urbe condita]]'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 1#57|1.57]]</ref>

Tarquin unsuccessfully sought to take Ardea by storm, and subsequently began an extensive siege of the city. The war was interrupted by the [[Overthrow of the Roman monarchy|revolution]] that overthrew the Roman monarchy. The Roman army, camped outside Ardea, welcomed [[Lucius Junius Brutus]] as their new leader, and expelled the king's sons. It is unclear as to the eventual outcomes of the siege and the war.<ref>[[Livy]], ''[[Ab urbe condita libri (Livy)|Ab urbe condita]]'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 1#57|1.57-60]]</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Ancient Rome}}

* [[List of ancient peoples of Italy]]
* [[Prehistoric Italy]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Aeneid}}

[[Category:Characters in the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Ancient peoples of Italy]]

{{AncientRome-myth-stub}}