Aulus Cornelius Cossus

He is famous for being the second Roman, after Romulus, to be awarded the spolia opima, Rome's highest military honour, for killing the commander of an enemy army in single combat.

According to Livy's account, the "remarkably handsome" cavalry officer Cornelius Cossus identified the king during battle and promptly charged him, unhorsing him with his spear.

Cossus was to hold Rome while the other three consular tribunes (Gaius Furius Pacilus Fusus, Marcus Postumius and Titus Quinctius Pennus Cincinnatus) led the Roman army to attack Veii.

So Consular Tribune Cornelius Cossus nominated his commander Mamercus Aemilius Mamercinus from the Battle of Fidenae.

He gave a speech framing the prior defeat as nothing more than an insignificant reversal of fortune and reproached everyone for getting carried away with their emotions.

He explained that the loss was not because of any deficiency of the Roman army, or any great accomplishment by the enemy but a mere failure of leadership, and reminded Rome that they had beaten the Veientines already six times; they had captured Fidenae as often as it had been attacked.

He reminded them that he had already defeated a combined force of Veii, Fidenae, and Faliscans and his lieutenant was Cornelius Cossus, hero of Rome, the man who had been awarded the spolia opima.