Horatius Cocles

Horatius Cocles, a fanciful 1586 engraving by Hendrick Goltzius.

Publius Horatius Cocles was an officer in the army of the early Roman Republic who famously defended the Pons Sublicius from the invading army of Etruscan King Lars Porsena of Clusium in the late 6th century BC, during the war between Rome and Clusium.[1] By defending the narrow end of the bridge, he and his companions were able to hold off the attacking army long enough to allow other Romans to destroy the bridge behind him, blocking the Etruscans' advance and saving the city.[2]

  1. ^ Ihne, Wilhelm (1877). Early Rome: From the Foundation of the City to Its Destruction by the Gauls. Longmans, Green & Co. p. 60.
  2. ^ Godwin, William (1809). History of Rome: from the building of the city to the ruin of the Republic. M. J. Godwin. p. 30.