Final answer:
In ancient Rome, the fascēs, a bundle of rods and an axe, were a symbol of authority borne by Roman magistrates, depicting their power and jurisdiction. These were also used by military commanders and the political elite, especially those with eminent roles in the Senate.
Step-by-step explanation:
In ancient Rome, the fascēs was a symbol of authority and power held by Roman magistrates and denotes the authority of earlier Etruscan kings. The fascēs were a bundle of rods bound together around an axe, representing the authority and power of the individual who bore it. The magistrates in Rome, including numerous politicians and public officials, bore the fascēs as a symbol of their functional authority.
The authority carried by the fascēs transcended from the power structure embedded in the ancient Roman society. Prevalently, the powerful military commanders and the political elite, particularly those with a central role in the Senate, were seen wielding the symbolic power of the fascēs.
Symbolically, the rods signified unity and strength, demonstrating the phrase ‘united we stand, but divided we fall’. The axe was a representation of the magistrate’s power over life and death.
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