Silvius Brabo was a mythical Roman soldier and the legendary founder and namesake of the city of

Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...

and Duke of Brabant. According to one version of the legend, the giant Druon Antigoon guarded a bridge over the Scheldt; another version has Druon guarding the port, demanding a tax from passing ships. When a person did not pay, Druon would cut off a hand (Dutch: ) and throw (Dutch: ) it into the river. Brabo, a young Roman soldier, challenged Druon, cutting off his hand and throwing it into the River. Thus, the City gained its Dutch name from (). This mythical story is depicted by a fountain in front of the Antwerp City Hall.

References

Antwerp in fiction Belgian folklore Belgian legends Fictional soldiers Legendary Romans Folklore of the Benelux {{Europe-myth-stub