Cloelia

When Lucius Tarquinus Superbus, an Etruscan, took over Rome, the Romans were not happy. In order to prevent revolt, he took the children of the senators and sent them back to where he was from. Cloelia was one of these hostages. After being in the Etruscan palace for a while, she became homesick and led some of her friends with her back to Rome. Once they got there, their parents were so afraid that Lucius would kill them all, so they turned the children over to Lucius. After hearing that they escaped of their own free will and that their parents weren't involved, Lucius admired Cloelia's bravery and let them stay in Rome. A statue of her was erected in the Forum, the only female one ever there.