Which Symbols Were Adopted from Roman Iconography?

The French revolutionaries were deeply inspired by the Roman Republic, which they viewed as a model of republican virtue and anti-monarchical government. They deliberately bypassed France's own monarchical history to adopt symbols from classical antiquity. This was part of a broader artistic and cultural movement known as Neoclassicism.

Here are the most significant symbols adopted from Roman iconography:

• The Phrygian Cap (The Liberty Cap):
  • Roman Origin: In ancient Rome, this soft, conical cap (known as a *pileus*) was given to slaves upon their manumission (being freed). It was the symbol of the *libertus*, or "freedman."
  • Revolutionary Use: The French revolutionaries adopted this red cap as the ultimate symbol of freedom from the "slavery" of tyranny and the aristocracy. It became the most iconic symbol of the radical revolution and is famously worn by Marianne, the personification of the French Republic.
• The Fasces:
  • Roman Origin: This was a bundle of wooden rods (usually birch) bound together with a leather strap, sometimes including an axe blade. In the Roman Republic, it was carried by lictors (magistrates' bodyguards) and symbolized the power and authority of the state (the rods for punishment, the axe for capital punishment).
  • Revolutionary Use: The revolutionaries removed the axe blade (to reject an emblem of capital punishment) and adopted the bundle of rods to symbolize unity and indivisibility. The many rods bound together represented the 83 departments of France (and later, all citizens) being "bound" into a single, strong, indivisible republic. It was a symbol of collective power.
• Liberty (Personification):
  • Roman Origin: The figure of "Liberty" (who would evolve into Marianne) was a direct copy of the Roman goddess Libertas.
  • Revolutionary Use: Like her Roman counterpart, the French figure of Liberty was often depicted as a stately woman holding a staff, upon which the Phrygian cap was often placed.
• Hercules:
  • Roman Origin: The powerful demigod known for his strength and "labors."
  • Revolutionary Use: While Liberty (Marianne) represented the state and its ideals, Hercules was often used to represent the power and strength of the French people themselves, capable of overcoming the "monsters" of the old monarchy.