Lictor

Lictors (Latin lictores to ligare, bind ' ) were originally in the Roman Empire those servants who should protect the king as bodyguards, later usher that the higher state officials with Empire ( consuls, praetors, imperial legate and dictators ) at public appearances progressed or they - comparable to today 's bodyguards - surrounded. This protection was soon, especially in campaigns, as too weak out why the extraordinarii were charged with protecting. The merger of the two forces finally emerged the Praetorians.

As a sign of the power of of them attended public official and the Roman Empire total they wore over his left shoulder, a bundle of rods, called fasces. Outside of the city of Rome a hatchet was half hidden in the bundle of rods, but recognizable carried. The custom to demonstrate state power in this way in public, the Romans have probably taken over by the Etruscans. Anyway, there is already in Etruscan tombs appropriate representations. The appearance of Roman rulers accompanied by ax and fasces -bearing lictors was maintained particularly in conquered territories to make by showing this well-known symbols of power ( insignia imperii ) impression. The number of a dignitary preceding lictors signaled his rank: consuls, for example, were twelve, accompanied by six praetors ( within Rome of two) lictors. A Dictator stood at 24 lictors. Since the Roman emperor possessed the empire, they were, like the early kings and consuls, twelve lictors to. Emperor Domitian increased their number to twenty-four. Plebeian magistrates had no such claim, but the Flemings Dialis (priest of Jupiter maximus) and the Vestals were each preceded by a lictor.

Usually free or freedmen were used for the Liktorenamt, but not slaves.

In the 20th century, the fasces was with hatchet among other things a symbol of Italian fascism, but also appears in the French national emblem, the emblem of the Swiss canton of St. Gallen and the Seal of the Senate of the United States.