Lucretia

Lucretia Europe
The rape of Lucretia was the crime that toppled the semi-legendary Etruscan kings of Rome. In 510 BC Sextus Tarquinius, the son of King Tarquinius Superbus, violated this Roman matron, who stabbed herself and died. Lucretia's funeral roused the people and their anger was turned by the eloquence of Lucius Junius Brutus into a desire for the abolition of the monarchy. Thus later Roman historians construed the mythical foundation of the Republic.