Vexilloid

The vexilloid of the Roman Empire was emblazoned with initials S·P·Q·R (senātus populusque Rōmānus), which in Latin means "the senate and the people of Rome".

A vexilloid has the same functions as a flag but it looks different. Vexilloids are characteristic of traditional societies and ancient empires (Flags did not come into general use until medieval times.). A vexilloid consists of a staff held upright with a cloth banner that hangs down vertically on the staff and on top of the staff is an emblem, such as a carved animal.

Literature

Whitney Smith, Flags Through the Ages and Across the World, ISBN 0-07-059093-1

Vexilloid Media

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  An illustration of eleven Imperial Roman vexilloids.

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  An illustration of several types of Vexilloid

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  A detail from the Narmer Palette, with the oldest known depiction of vexilloids.

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  The Ptolemaic Vexilloid Standard

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  Vexilloid of Baden Garde Du Corps 1740–1919