The History of Flags

The history of flags dates back more than 4,000 years. The first type of flag was called a vexilloid. This is Latin, and the closest translation to English is "guide". Even today, the study of flags is referred to as vexillology.

Ancient flags

In antiquity, vexilloids were very different from what we typically picture as flags today. These vexilloids were primarily used by soldiers in battle to identify each group of warriors. They were metal or wooden poles with carvings on top, which were unique to each group. These first flags were used to assist military coordination on battlefields and as a general tool for rudimentary signalling, especially in environments where communication was difficult. About 2,000 years ago, pieces of fabric or other material were added to some vexilloids for decoration and the vexilloids started to evolve into the flags we know today.

Flags for information

As the flag evolved, it was generally used to give people information at a distance. Knights, for example, carried flags into battle so they could distinguish friend from enemy. This was an effective way to identify friend or foe when covered in heavy armor. Flags of different colors or patterns were also widely used as symbols and signals, both on the battlefield and off. Even today, a red flag represents a warning or danger, and a white flag carries the universal meaning of surrender.

Modern flags are still used in much the same manner as they were in ancient times. Flags are still used to identify groups of people, such as countries, nations, states, provinces and cities. Though the signal systems of flags have gotten more complex, they are still considered one of the most effective methods of silent communication by many military groups during conflict.