Roman SPQR Military Eagle Pin – Gold-Plated Ancient Rome Badge

Roman Eagle Pin from the Standards of the Legions

This Roman eagle pin shows the imperial eagle, or aquila, above the motto SPQR. It is cast in gold-plated pewter. A secure clasp holds it.

The SPQR eagle badge recalls the standards that Roman legions carried into battle. An information card traces Rome from a small town on the Tiber to a world empire.

• Material: Gold-plated pewter
• Dimensions: 1 1/8 in W x 5/8 in H x 1/16 in thick
• Fastening: Secure clasp
• Includes: Information card on the rise of Rome

The Eagle of the Legion

Each Roman legion carried one eagle standard. A soldier called the aquilifer, or eagle-bearer, held it high in battle. He ranked just below the centurions and earned double pay. Around 104 B.C., after a crushing defeat, the general Marius made the eagle the legion's only standard. Soldiers treated it as nearly sacred. Losing it was a deep disgrace. After the Teutoburg Forest disaster in A.D. 9, Rome spent years winning back three lost eagles. No legionary eagle is known to survive today. A gold-plated Roman pin keeps that proud symbol in view.

SPQR Across the Empire

The letters SPQR mean Senatus Populusque Romanus, the Senate and People of Rome. They first appear in inscriptions of the late Republic, around 80 B.C. Romans placed them on buildings, coins, and legion banners. Many inscriptions still stand in Rome today. This pin joins the two great emblems of the state, the eagle and the letters.

Collecting Roman Insignia

The SPQR eagle badge makes a fine award for a Latin class or a history club. It is also an easy gift for a student of ancient Rome. The card tells a short story of how Rome grew from a small town to an empire.

Styling and Wearing the Roman Eagle Pin

Wear the SPQR legion pin as a tie tack, collar pin, hat pin, or bag pin. The Roman legion standard pin suits teachers, reenactors, and history lovers. Browse related pieces in our Greek and Roman collection.

Care Notes

Wipe the gold plated Roman pin with a soft, dry cloth. Keep it dry and away from perfume and harsh chemicals. Store it flat in a pouch.

For More Reading from the Web

• Read a scholar's study of how Romans venerated the legionary eagle as a sacred object: The Cult of the Eagles in the Roman Republic - Australian Catholic University
• Follow the story of the Silchester eagle, a Roman find once believed to be a legion's standard: The Eagle - Silchester Archaeology, University of Reading
• Read how the eagle standard and its bearer, the aquilifer, served the legions: Aquila (Roman) - Wikipedia
• Find out what the letters SPQR stand for: What Does SPQR Stand For? - ThoughtCo