Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/601

 TARQUIN the forum to private citizens; and began to surround the city with a stone wall, which his successor finished. Under Tarquin 100 new members (the patres minorum gentium) were added to the senate, and the number of the vestal virgins was increased from four to six. The sons of Ancus Marcius, fearing that he would secure the succession to his son-in-law Servius Tullius, planned his death. (See SER- vms TULLIUS.) II. Lucius Tarquioius Snperbns (" the Proud "), the seventh and last king of Borne, son of the preceding, died about 495 B. 0. About 534 he formed a conspiracy, mur- dered Servius Tullius, and usurped the throne. He immediately, as the semi-legendary story of his reign has it, abolished all the privileges that Servius had given to the plebeians, decreed the death of the senators who had supported them, took the whole administration of justice into his own hands, and put to death or exiled all who were obnoxious to him. The senate was seldom consulted, and its vacancies were not filled. Under him the Latin league was joined by the Hernici and by two Volscian towns, and Rome became the head of the con- federacy. With the spoils from the wealthy city of Suessa Pometia he began the erection of the capitol. He subdued Gabii, a Latin city which refused to enter into the league, and about 510 besieged Ardea. While Tarquinius Collatinus, son of Aruns, the brother of Tar- quinius Priscus, was with the army before this city, his cousin Sextus Tarquinius, the king's son, went to his house at Collatia, and there violated his wife Lucretia. Lucretia sent to the camp at Ardea, and summoned thence her father and her husband. With them came Lucius Brutus. To these three she told what had happened, enjoined them to avenge her, and stabbed herself with a dagger. Brutus led the way into the market place, whither the corpse was carried, summoned the people, and related the occurrence. So great was the hatred already entertained of the Tarquins and the in- dignation now excited, that a decree was imme- diately passed by which the king was deposed, and his family banished from the city. Tarquin hastened to Rome, but found the gates closed against him. Brutus repaired to Ardea, where he was received with joy, and the army re- nounced its allegiance to the tyrant. Tarquin took refuge at Tarquinii, and thence sent am- bassadors to Rome to demand his private prop- erty. These ambassadors conspired with some young nobles for the restoration of the king, but were discovered, and with their confeder- ates among them two sons of Brutus were executed, and Tarquin's private property was given up to plunder. He now formed an alli- ance with the Etruscan cities of Tarquinii and Veii, and endeavored to recover the throne by force, but was defeated near the forest of Ar- sia. He next obtained the assistance of Lars Porsena of Clusium, who marched against Rome with a great army. (See POESENA.) Finally the whole Latin confederacy espoused TARRANT 573 the cause of Tarquin against Rome, and the contest was decided by the Roman victory in the battle of Lake Regillus, about 498. Tar- quin retired to Cumse, and there died. TARRAGON (Lat. dracunculus ; Span, tara- gona), an aromatic herb (artemisia dracuncu- lus) belonging to the composita, and in the same genus with the common wormwood, but differing from this and most other species in having undivided leaves. It is a native of Siberia and the region of the Caspian sea, and is much cultivated in European, and sparingly in American gardens. It is a perennial, with stems 2 to 3 ft. high, and bears upon the upper branches small heads of inconspicuous flowers, which in cultivation are infertile; the long, narrow, and smooth leaves have an aromatic odor and a taste somewhat like that of anise. The French, who call it estragon, consider the leaves or young shoots essential to the proper dressing of some salads, and use it also to fla- vor vinegar, pickles, and mustard, and in other compounds. Tarragon vinegar is made by simply infusing the leaves in strong vinegar. The plant is perfectly hardy in this country. TARRAGONA. I. A N. E. province of Spain, in Catalonia, bordering on the Mediterranean and the provinces of Lerida, Barcelona, Cas- tellon, Teruel, and Saragossa; area, 2,451 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 350,395. The province is traversed from N. to S. by the Prades moun- tain range, which has numerous offsets that extend to the coast, and the intervening val- leys are very fertile. The only river of impor- tance is the Ebro. There are mines of lead, copper, silver, and manganese, and the hills are covered with pine, cork, and oak. Good wine is produced, and there are many manu- factories of silk, woollen, velvet, and cotton goods, oil, soap, pottery, and brandy. II. A city (anc. Tarraco), capital of the province, on the Mediterranean, at the mouth of the Fran- coli, 273 m. E. N. E. of Madrid; pop. about 18,000. It is fortified, and consists of two parts, the high and the low. It is the seat of an archbishop. There are schools of naviga- tion and design, and an ecclesiastical seminary. The mole, begun in 1790 and finished in 1874, is 4,242 ft. long. The exports to the United States for the year ending Sept. 30, 1874, chiefly wine, nuts, and liquorice, amounted to $286,212. The town is supposed to have been originally settled by the Phoenicians. Under the Romans it was the capital of Hispania Tarraconensis, and is said to have contained 1,000,000 inhabitants. There are remains of a Roman amphitheatre and aqueduct. It was captured by the Goths, was destroyed by^the Moors under Tarik, and remained uninhabited for four centuries. It was captured by the British in the war of succession. In 1811 the French under Suchet took it by storm. In the middle ages a number of church councils were held in Tarragona. TARRANT, a K W. county of Texas, inter- sected by the West fork of Trinity river ; area,