What Did the Roman Eagle and Wolf Represent?

[Ediruc]

A while back I visited a historical exposition, and there I was speaking to one of the Ancient Rome historians, who told me we really aren't sure what that golden eagle on the banner which the Roman legionnaires carried meant. I suggested to him that he meant something like Power or Dominance, and he said it might.

Just wondering what everyone else here thinks on that. What did these animals mean to the Romans, you think?

[wivienne]

A while back I visited a historical exposition, and there I was speaking to one of the Ancient Rome historians, who told me we really aren't sure what that golden eagle on the banner which the Roman legionnaires carried meant. I suggested to him that he meant something like Power or Dominance, and he said it might.

Just wondering what everyone else here thinks on that. What did these animals mean to the Romans, you think?

I agree with you. I think it means Power, Greatness and Pride. Also the might of the army.

[Wychaert]

A while back I visited a historical exposition, and there I was speaking to one of the Ancient Rome historians, who told me we really aren't sure what that golden eagle on the banner which the Roman legionnaires carried meant. I suggested to him that he meant something like Power or Dominance, and he said it might.

Just wondering what everyone else here thinks on that. What did these animals mean to the Romans, you think?

Not sure on the eagle, but werent the twins Remus and Romulus, the faunders of Rome, fed by a wolf?

[Caledonian]

The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Parts of the eagle's body such as its head, wings or leg are also used as a charge or crest.

The eagle symbolized strength, courage, farsightedness and immortality. It is considered to be the king of the air and the messenger of the highest Gods. Mythologically, it is connected by the Greeks with the God Zeus, by the Romans with Jupiter, by the Germanic tribes with Odin and by Christians with God.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_(...opean_heraldry



Not sure about the wolf crest but I'm sure it had somthing to do with Romulus and Remus in Roman myth.

[murchada]

I did a write-up and designed a wolf pendant and a Roman eagle pendant.

The wolf was a powerful symbol for many ancient cultures, including the Vikings and Romans:

Romulus and Remus, sons of the god of war Mars and the founders of Rome, would have died as infants without the aid of the wolf. To the Romans, the wolf was a symbol of the God of War. Like the Vikings, Roman soldiers thought of themselves as raging wolves; vicious warriors.

The eagle was used because it was a high-flying bird, and thus the closest to the Sun. The Sun was a very common and powerful symbol in the ancient world, since it was the provider of all life & energy (and still is). Also, the eagle was a very powerful bird in its own right.

[wittwer]

The Eagle is representative of the Gods Jupiter and Mars. Two of the most important Gods in the Roman Pantheon. It is also representative of the Senate and People of Rome (Remember SPQR) and its will. As for the Wolf, this is symbolic of the City of Rome whose founders Romulus and Remus were raised by a she wolf in the Cave of the Lupercal on the side of the Palatine Hill.

Hope this helps...

[Thorwald]

The Eagle is Jupiter's sacred animal, while the Wolf was sacred to Mars.

Jupiter and Mars would be the two deities most relevant to a Roman legion.