BRUTUS, LUCIUS JUNIUS

flourished 6th century BC a legendary figure, probably historical, who is held to have ousted the despotic Etruscan king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus from Rome in 509 and then to have founded the Roman Republic. He is said to have been elected to the first consulship in that year and then to have condemned his own sons to death when they joined in a conspiracy to restore the Tarquins. Tradition holds that he was killed in single combat with the son of Tarquinius Superbus during a battle with the Etruscans.