In this thrilling episode, we dive into the reign of Tullus Hostilius, Rome’s third king and its first true champion of war and conquest. Where his predecessor Numa Pompilius preached peace and piety, Tullus believed Rome was destined for greatness through strength, steel, and strategy.

Discover how Tullus led Rome into its first major military showdown against its ancestral cousin, Alba Longa, and how a legendary duel between two sets of triplet warriors—the Horatii and Curiatii—became an enduring symbol of Roman cunning and courage.

But this isn’t just a tale of victories and vassals. We explore the deeper meaning behind Tullus’s dramatic downfall—plagued by disease, shamed by the gods, and, according to myth, struck down by Jupiter’s lightning. Was it divine punishment? Political intrigue? Or poetic justice?

With a blend of history, myth, and storytelling, this episode captures the spirit of early Rome: brutal, bold, and brilliantly complex.