Labarum

The labarum was the main army flag of the late ancient Roman army since the time of Emperor Constantine.

According to the description of the Christian historian Lactantius Constantine had his soldiers paint a Christ monogram on their shields before the battle of the Milvian Bridge 312. Eusebius of Caesarea in his claims incurred about 25 years after the battle Vita Constantini, the Emperor had let this character then put on the main army flag, but this is likely to be a mistake. It is widely believed that the labarum was developed and used only in the 320 years before the conflict with Licinius. The name of the field label is neither Latin nor Greek origin, but goes back to pre-Roman ensigns from the Mesopotamian / Babylonian environment. The design is different from epoch to epoch.

The Labarum consisted of a long golden spear with a cross- bar, from which hung down a purple veil. At the lance about three portraits of the emperor and his two eldest sons were fastened ( two were born of this after 312, is a testament to the thesis of the later emergence of the field label ). At the upper end of which was that of a wreath framed monogram of Christ: Greek Χ (chi ) and Ρ ( rho ) for Christos ( ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ or Χριστός ). The Labarum symbolized thus the sacred context of imperial rule in Late Antiquity.

Field signs had already been time of great importance for the Roman soldiers in pre-Christian and had often enjoyed ritual worship; guarding the labarum was entrusted fifty of the bravest warriors ( labarii ).