Horatius

(Horatius Cocles)

535–509 BC

HORATIUS KEEPING THE BRIDGE

Horatius Cocles was a Roman soldier who volunteered to defend the Sublican bridge over the Tiber, as it was being torn down by his compatriots. He prevented an Etruscan army, led by Lars Porsenna, from crossing and jumped in the river as the bridge fell. Miraculously he survived. A statue was made to commemorate the deed and Horatius was well rewarded for his bravery. The Invasion of Rome by Porsenna's army occured in 508 B.C., shortly after King Tarquin was exiled, and the Republic of Rome was founded.

Other Resources

Story Links	Book Links
Horatius at the Bridge  in	Fifty Famous Stories Retold  by  James Baldwin
Lars Porsenna  in	Stories From Livy  by  Alfred J. Church
Life and Death Struggle  in	Stories from Ancient Rome  by  Alfred J. Church
Of Horatius  in	Stories from Roman History  by  Lena Dalkeith
Defense of the Bridge  in	The Story of the Romans  by  H. A. Guerber
Horatius  in	Famous Men of Rome  by  John H. Haaren & A. B. Poland
Horatius Cocles, or the One-Eyed  in	The Story of Rome  by  Mary Macgregor
How Brave Horatius Kept the Bridge  in	Historical Tales: Roman  by  Charles Morris
How Horatius Kept the Bridge  in	On the Shores of the Great Sea  by  M. B. Synge

Image Links
Horatius on the bridge  in Stories From Livy	Horatius held his place till the structure had actually fallen  in Stories from Ancient Rome	Horatius keeps the bridge  in Stories from Roman History
Horatius at the bridge  in The Story of the Romans	Horatius Keeping the Bridge  in Historical Tales: Roman

Contemporary	Short Biography
Publicola	Consul of Rome during the wars with Porsena.
Lars Porsena	Etruscan king, and supporter of the Tarquins who raised an army to march against Rome.
Mucius Scaevola	Hero who burned his right hand to defy Porsena.
Spurius Lartius	Fellow soldier who helped defend the bridge.
Titus Herminius	Fellow Soldier who helped defend the bridge.