Horatii and Curiatii

In the ancient Roman legend of the regal period, the Horatii were three sibling warriors, sons of Publius Horatius, who lived during the reign of Tullus Hostilius.

[1] The story includes Publius Horatius, the sole survivor of the battle, murdering his sister for mourning the death of a beloved Curiatius.

Sabine[citation needed] dictator Mettius Fufetius appealed to Tullus Hostilius that the conflict should be settled by a fight to the death between the Roman Horatii triplets and their Alban counterparts, known as the Curiatii.

He managed to unsteadily stand his ground and faced the Horatius, who was heartened by his wildly successful strategy and confident of his imminent victory.

Afterwards, the Alban dictator Mettius honored the treaty and Alba Longa briefly accepted Roman rule, before provoking a war with the Fidenates and betraying Rome.

When she saw the cloak that she herself had woven and given to the Curiatius on her brother's shoulder, now stained with his blood, she realized that her betrothed had been slain.

Proclaiming that no Roman woman should mourn Rome's fallen enemies, Publius killed his sister on the spot.

On the advice of a jurist named Tullus Hostilius (also the king at the time), Publius appealed to one of the popular assemblies.