Last modified: 2003-11-22 by dov gutterman
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by Jaume Olle' , 31 October 1998
This flag seems to be traditionally used in the region (middle
age?). The flag of the anciant republic was red with SPQR in it.
Later, in the Christian era the cross was added.
Jaume Olle' , 31 October 1998
SPQR is the acronym of 'Senatus PopulusQue Romae', i.e. 'the
Senate and People of Roma'. This was a kind of 'motto' of the
Ancient Roman Republic, which was applied on state monuments in
Roma. SPQR seems to have been used also in the Roman vexilla, at
least in the vexillum shown on the first page of Asterix albums
(and in the first image of the first album of the series, Asterix
le Gaulois).
Ivan Sache, 18 March 2001
I'd like to make a remark about the traditional flags of the
city of Rome: the colours shouldn't be brilliant red and yellow,
but - in a more correct way - dark red (bordeaux like) and gold.
The first one is the symbol of the emperor, and gold for
sovereignty.
Giovanni Pellegrini, 10 April 2001
This is perhaps quibbling, but SPQR actually stands for
"Senatus Populusque Romanus", "The Senate and
People of Rome" (literally the Roman Senate and
People). The expression is clearly written out in a number
of inscriptions, so there is no guesswork involved. I
suppose one could say that it was a kind of "motto",
but I think that it is more accurate to say that this was the
official monogram of the Roman Republic. From what I have
been able to gather, official documents of the Senate were placed
under a seal that read "SPQR". The SPQR
represented the Roman Republic in the same way that
"US" or "USA" represents the United States,
or the way that "UN" (or "NU", if you speak
French) is used as an identifying mark on the helmets and
vehicles of United Nations peacekeepers. Roman armies
carried standards with the SPQR monogram, and it was used in
official inscriptions and official documents.
The modern city of Rome has revived it for use, *inter alia*, on
manhold covers and curbside trash cans, to indicate two places
where I saw it used. Interestingly when I was in Benevento,
I saw "SPQB" on the manhold covers there -- which can
only stand for "Senatus Populusque Beneventanus", the
Senate and People of Benevento. Since there never was any
such thing, I could only guess that this was an attempt to poke
fun at the modern Romans'