The Fasces, as pictured at left, is quite simply a bundle of rods lashed together around a staff or ax. Dating to Roman times, the bundle represents the strength of a sum being greater than the individual (similar to the proverbial rope of three strands which is not easily broken). As such, it has traditionally been used to symbolize strength through unity or simply power and jurisdiction. It is one of the most common images in crests, coat-of-arms and national symbology.
It has been utilized as a symbol from ancient Rome to Mussolini's Italy and from Europe to America. The fasces is present in edifices for all three branches of US government (and both houses of Congress), the back of the Mercury dime, the Lincoln Memorial and numerous other places in DC and the state's capitals. It may be the most commonly represented object in our government buildings that most of you could not even identify...until now.
I had some trouble finding something even somewhat interesting for my "F" fact of the day. Please stay tuned for Gurkha...
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Wow...when the page came up I thought the word fasces (or however it's spelled) was actually the word FECES. Thank goodness it was only brain playing tricks on me. However, I'm sure it would have been a cracker of a post if it had been!
ReplyDeleteI realized that I post on feces a lot so I decided to change it up. To be totally honest, when I came across this word the first time it was the resemblance to "feces" that initially drew my attention. Boys will be boys….
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