Tarquinius Prisco

The legend says that about the year 655 b. C. a rich merchant called Demeratio settled in the Etruscan town Tarquinia and married a local woman. His son Lucio Tarquinio, moved to Rome, where with the help of some Etruscan families, he was elected King.
Tarquinius called Prisco (i. e.ancient with respect to his successor, Tarquinius the Proud) ruled for about 40 years.
The conquest of Lazio is due to him. With the help of Etruscan Architects he enriched the town with many public buildings. He enlarged and decorated the Forums with colomnades for public meetings, built the Circus Maximus for great games and opened the Cloaca Maxima to drain the valleys of the town and to convey the waters to the river.
He died tragically, killed by the patricians, who could not bear his despotism. His widow, Tanaquilla gave the throne to his son Servius Tullius. He was the first Roman king who was not elected by the Senate.