Humanities › History & Culture Ancus Martius King of Rome Share Flipboard Email Print Nastasic / Getty Images History & Culture Ancient History and Culture Figures & Events Ancient Languages Greece Egypt Asia Rome Mythology & Religion American History African American History African History Asian History European History Genealogy Inventions Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More by N.S. Gill N.S. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise. Updated October 03, 2019 King Ancus Martius (or Ancus Marcius) is thought to have ruled Rome from 640-617. Ancus Martius, the fourth king of Rome, was the grandson of the second Roman king, Numa Pompilius. Legend credits him with building a bridge on wooden piles across the Tiber River, the Pons Sublicius, the first bridge across the Tiber. It is often claimed that Ancus Martius founded the port of Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber River. Cary and Scullard say this is unlikely, but he probably extended Roman territory and gained control of the salt-pans on the south side of the river by Ostia. Cary and Scullard also doubt the legend that Ancus Martius incorporated the Janiculum Hill into Rome, but do not doubt that he established a bridgehead upon it. Ancus Martius is also thought to have waged war on other Latin cities. Alternate Spellings: Ancus Marcius Examples: T.J. Cornell says Ennius and Lucretius called Ancus Martius Ancus the Good. Sources: Cary and Scullard: A History of Rome T.J. Cornell: The Beginnings of Rome. Ancient Rome Glossary Go to Other Ancient / Classical History Glossary pages beginning with the letter abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz Continue Reading