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Lucretia was an ancient Roman heroine, known for her beauty and modesty. According to legend as documented by Livy in his History of Rome, she was acclaimed as a highly virtuous woman by her husband Collatinus. She was raped by the Roman nobleman Sextus Tarquinius, a relative of her husband, who threatened her with murder and the public humiliation of her corpse if she resisted. Given the risk of defamation she gave in to his sexual demands, but afterwards reported the attack to her husband and father before taking her own life. In doing so, she retained her honor and virtue (according to Roman beliefs). Her suicide led to a rebellion that brought down the Etruscan monarchy and marked the beginning of the Roman Republic.
Sextus Tarquinius Collatinus Livy History of Rome Roman Republic Etruscan