There are numerous mythic and literary references to the idea of two champions of their respective forces duelling to the death in single combat, but did this ever occur in reality? The notion obviously seems fanciful, but not completely out of the realm of possibility.
I know that sometimes military commanders would fight each other in battles when they are brought together by happenstance, but I'm interested in the idea of organised and spectated duels between people in military command.
Single combat is mentioned quite frequently in the history of Ancient Rome – the Horatii's defeat of the Alba Longan Curiatii in the 7th century BC is reported by Livy to have settled a war in Rome's favor and subjected Alba Longa to Rome; Marcus Claudius Marcellus took the spolia opima from Viridomarus, king of the Gaesatae, at the Battle of Clastidium (222 BC); and Marcus Licinius Crassus from Deldo, king of the Bastarnae (29 BC).