Brutus - Lucius Junius Brutus

Definition: Lucius Junius Brutus (6th C. B.C.), the nephew of the last Roman king, Tarquinius Superbus, led the revolt against the king and proclaimed the Roman Republic in 509 B.C., according to the legends. This revolt happened when King Tarquin was away on campaign and followed the rape of Lucretia by the king's son. Brutus and Lucretia's husband, L. Tarquinius Collatinus, became the first Roman consuls.

Brutus expelled the Tarquin clan. Since Brutus was related to the Tarquins on his mother's side, he was excluded from this group, but the expelled included his co-conspirator, the husband of Lucretia. Valerius Publicola replaced L. Tarquinius Collatinus as consul. Brutus' sons became involved with a conspiracy to restore the Tarquins. When Brutus learned of the plot, he executed those involved, including his two sons.

Junius Brutus to whom the ancient Romans erected a statue of brass in the capitol among the images of their kings with a drawn sword in his hand, in remembrance of his courage and resolution in expelling the Tarquins and destroying the monarchy. But that ancient Brutus was of a severe and inflexible nature, like steel of too hard a temper, and having never had his character softened by study and thought, he let himself be so far transported with his rage and hatred against tyrants, that, for conspiring with them, he proceeded to the execution even of his own sons.
Plutarch's Life of Brutus

In the Tarquins' attempt to reclaim the Roman throne, at the Battle of Silva Arsia, Brutus and Arruns Tarquinius fought and killed each other. This meant both the consuls of the first year of the Roman Republic had to be replaced. It is thought that there was a total of 5 in that one year.

The expulsion of kings was permanent and this is considered the end of the period of Etruscan dominance in Rome.

Source: T.J. Cornell, The Beginnings of Rome