Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 9.djvu/286

276 F LAG Plate I. FLAG. It is probable that almost as soon as men began to collect together for common purposes some kind of con spicuous object was used, as the symbol of the common sentiment, as the rallying point of the common force. In military expeditions where any degree of organization and discipline prevailed, objects of such a kind would be neces sary to mark out the lines and stations of encampment, and to keep in order ths different bands when inarching or in battle. And, in addition to all this, it cannot be doubted that flags or their equivalents have often served, by remind- inf men of past resolves, past deeds, past heroes, to rally to enthusiasm those sentiments of esprit de corps, of family pride and honour, of personal devotion, patriotism, or re ligion, upon which, as well as upon good leadership, discip line, and numerical force, success in warfare depends. Among the remains of that people which has left the earliest traces of civilization, the records of the forms of objects used as ensigns are frequently to be found. From their carvings and paintings, supplemented by ancient writers, it appears that the several companies of the Egyptian army had their own particular standards. These were formed of such objects as there is reason to believe were associated in the minds of the men with feelings of awe and devotion. Sacred animals, boats, emblems, or figures, a tablet bearing a king s name, fan and feather- shaped symbols, were raised on the end of a staff as standards, and the office of bearing them was looked upon us one of peculiar privilege and honour (fig. 1). Some- FIG. 1. Egyptian Standards. what similar seem to have been the customs of the As syrians and Jews. Among the sculptures unearthed by Layard and others at Nineveh, only two different designs have been noticed for standards ; one is of a figure draw ing a bow and standing on a running bull, the other of two bulls running in opposite directions (fig. 2). These, says Layard, Mr Birch supposes may resemble the emblems of war and peace which were attached to the yoke of Darius s chariot. They are borne upon and attached to chariots, which method of bearing these objects was the custom also of the Persians, and prevailed during the Middle Ages. No representations of Egyptian or Assyrian naval standards have been found, but the sails of ships were embroidered and ornamented with devices, which was also a custom during the Middle Ages. In both Egyptian and Assyrian examples, the staff bearing the emblem is frequently ornamented immediately below with flag-like streamers. Rabbinical writers have assigned the different devices of the different Jewish tribes, but the authenticity cf their testimony is extremely doubtful. Banners, stand ards, and ensigns are frequently mentioned in the Bible. " Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his standard, with the ensign of their father s house " (Num. FIG. 2. Assyrian Standards. ii. 2). " Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners ?" (Cant. vi. 10). See also Num. ii. 10, x. 14 ; Ps. xx. 5, Ix. 4 ; Cant. ii. 4 ; Is. v. 2G, x. 18, lix. 19; Jer. iv. 21. The Persians bore an eagle fixed to the end of a lance, and also represented the sun, as their divinity, upon their standards, which appear to have been formed of some kind of textile, and were guarded with the greatest jealousy by the bravest men of the army. The Carian soldier who slew Cyrus, the brother of Artaxerxes, was allowed the honour of carrying a golden cock at the head of the army, it being the custom of the Carians to wear that bird as a crest on their helmets. The North American Indians carried poles fledged with feathers from the wings of eagles, and similar customs seem to have prevailed among other semi-savage peoples. The Greeks bore a piece of armour on a spear in early times ; afterwards the several cities bore sacred emblems or letters chosen for their particular associations, the Athenians the olive and the owl, the Corinthians a pegasus, the Thebans a sphinx, in memory of (Edipus, the Messenians their initial M, and the Lacedaemonians A. A purple dress was placed on the end of a spear as the signal to advance. The Dacians carried a standard representing a contorted serpent, while the dragon was the military sign of many peoples, of the Chinese, Dacians, andParthians among others, and was probably first used by the Romans as the ensign of barbarian auxiliaries (see fig. 3). The question of the signa militaria of the Romans is a wide and very important one, having direct bearing on the history of heraldry, and on the origin of national, family, and personal devices. With them the custom was reduced to system. " Each century, or at least each maniple," says Meyrick, "had its proper standard and standard-bearers." In the early days of the republic a handful of hay was borne on a pole, whence probably came the name manipulus. The forms of standards in later times were very various ; sometimes a cross piece of wood was placed at the end of a spear and surmounted by the