In Mesopotamia, 'kingship came down from heaven', and the Roman state too was at first ruled by a king. Under Tarquinius Priscus (the Old Tarquin), and his two successors, Rome was under the domination of Etruscan kings. Servius Tullius enlarged the city, building new walls. He built the Cloaca Maxima, which drained especially the low-lying Subura, the densely populated area near the Capitoline Hill, and the temple of Jupiter on the Capitol. His successor, Tarquinius Superbus, is thought to have been in close contact with Greece. He consulted the oracle at Delphi over a proposed colony.

Zilch is often found in conjunction with other words. Zilch spurana is an urban magistrate (Subura is a part of Rome, and is originally 'city'). The zilch parchis may be a patrician official. Maru, marniu, and marunuch are associated with the priestly title cepen (cupencus = priest). The zilch eterau or zilch eteraias may be linked with the Egyptian hieroglyph 'heter', two women shaking hands, which means friendship. The link may be more acceptable if one recalls the Greek 'hetairos', comrade. The feminine, hetaira, means in classical Greek a lady who plays a more prominent part in public life than Athenian conservatives thought desirable. Temple prostitutes were a feature of temples in the ancient world. Perhaps the zilch eterau was in charge of the Vestal Virgins.