Silvius Brabo �sɪɫviəz ˈbraːboːwas a mythical Roman soldier who was said to have killed a giant, and by this would have created the name '' Brabant''. Later this story was also used to explain the name '' Antwerp'' ('Antwerpen' in Dutch) which, according to the story, is a derivative of 'handwerpen' (meaning ''hand throwing''). Brabo once killed a giant, called

Druon Antigoon Druon Antigoon or Druon Antigonus is a Flemish folkloric character. He was a mythical giant who lived in Antwerp. Guarding a bridge on the river Scheldt, he exacted a toll from those crossing the river. For those who refused, he severed one ...

, who asked money from people who wanted to pass the bridge over the river

Scheldt The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to ...

. When they didn't want to or couldn't pay, he cut off their hand and threw it in the river. Because of this, Brabo also removed the hand of the giant, and threw it into the river. This mythical story is still shown by the statue in front of the

Antwerp City Hall The City Hall (Dutch: ) of Antwerp, Belgium, stands on the western side of Antwerp's Grote Markt ("Great Market Square"). Erected between 1561 and 1565 after designs made by Cornelis Floris de Vriendt and several other architects and artists, t ...

References

Antwerp in fiction Belgian folklore Belgian legends Fictional soldiers Legendary Flemish people Legendary Romans {{Europe-myth-stub