Tarbelli, a people of Gaul at the foot of the Pyrenees, which from thence are sometimes called Tarbellæ. Tibullus, bk. 1, poem 7, li. 13.—Lucan, bk. 4, li. 121.—Cæsar, Gallic War, bk. 3, ch. 27.
Tarchetius, an impious king of Alba. Plutarch, Romulus.
Tarchon, an Etrurian chief, who assisted Æneas against the Rutuli. Some suppose that he founded Mantua. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 8, li. 693.——A prince of Cilicia. Lucan, bk. 9, li. 219.
Tarchondimŏtus, a prince of Cilicia. Lucan, bk. 11, li. 219.
Tarentum, Tarentus, or Taras, a town of Calabria, situate on a bay of the same name, near the mouth of the river Galesus. It was founded, or rather repaired, by a Lacedæmonian colony, about 707 years before Christ, under the conduct of Phalanthus. Long independent, it maintained its superiority over 13 tributary cities; and could once arm 100,000 foot and 3000 horse. The people of Tarentum were very indolent, and as they were easily supplied with all necessaries as well as luxuries from Greece, they gave themselves up to voluptuousness, so that the delights of Tarentum became proverbial. The war which they supported against the Romans, with the assistance of Pyrrhus king of Epirus, and which has been called the Tarentine war, is greatly celebrated in history. This war, which had been undertaken B.C. 281, by the Romans, to avenge the insults the Tarentines had offered to their ships when near their harbour, was terminated after 10 years; 300,000 prisoners were taken, and Tarentum became subject to Rome. The government was democratical; there were, however, some monarchs who reigned there. It was for some time the residence of Pythagoras, who inspired the citizens with the love of virtue, and rendered them superior to their neighbours in the cabinet as well as in the field of battle. The large, beautiful, and capacious harbour of Tarentum is greatly commended by ancient historians. Tarentum, now called Tarento, is inhabited by about 18,000 souls, who still maintain the character of their forefathers in idleness and effeminacy, and live chiefly by fishing. Florus, bk. 1, ch. 18.—Valerius Maximus, bk. 2, ch. 2.—Plutarch, Pyrrhus.—Pliny, bk. 8, ch. 6; bk. 15, ch. 10; bk. 34, ch. 7.—Livy, bk. 12, ch. 13, &c.—Mela, bk. 2, ch. 4.—Strabo, bk. 6.—Horace, bk. 1, ltr. 7, li. 45.—Ælian, Varia Historia, bk. 5, ch. 20.
Tarichæum, a fortified town of Judæa. Cicero, Letters to his Friends, bk. 12, ch. 11.——Several towns on the coast of Egypt bore this name from their pickling fish. Herodotus, bk. 2, ch. 15, &c.
Tarnæ, a town mentioned by Homer, Iliad, bk. 5.——A fountain of Lydia, near Tmolus. Strabo.——A river of Aquitania.
Tarpa Spurius Mætius, a critic at Rome in the age of Augustus. He was appointed with four others in the temple of Apollo, to examine the merit of every poetical composition, which was to be deposited in the temple of the Muses. In this office he acted with great impartiality, though many taxed him with want of candour. All the pieces that were represented on the Roman stage had previously received his approbation. Horace, bk. 1, satire 10, li. 38.
Tarpeia, the daughter of Tarpeius the governor of the citadel of Rome, promised to open the gates of the city to the Sabines, provided they gave her their gold bracelets, or, as she expressed it, what they carried on their left hands. Tatius the king of the Sabines consented, and as he entered the gates, to punish her perfidy, he threw not only his bracelet but his shield upon Tarpeia. His followers imitated his example, and Tarpeia was crushed under the weight of the bracelets and shields of the Sabine army. She was buried in the capitol, which from her has been called the Tarpeian rock, and there afterwards many of the Roman malefactors were thrown down a deep precipice. Plutarch, Romulus.—Ovid, Fasti, bk. 1, li. 261.—Amores, bk. 1, poem 10, li. 50.—Livy, bk. 1, ch. 11.—Propertius, bk. 4, poem 4.——A vestal virgin in the reign of Numa.——One of the warlike female attendants of Camilla in the Rutulian war. Virgil, Æneid, bk. 11, li. 665.
Tarpeia lex, was enacted A.U.C. 269, by Spurius Tarpeius, to empower all the magistrates of the republic to lay fines on offenders. This power belonged before only to the consuls. This fine was not to exceed two sheep and 30 oxen.