Latin

Etymology

Diminutive of vēlum "a sail"

Noun

1. flag, banner

Inflection

The vexillum (plural - vexilla) was a flag-like object used in the Classical Era of the Roman Empire. The vexillum resembles the modern flag; however, the cloth is draped vertically from a horizontal edge, unlike the horizontally-flown flags most used today.

Nearly all of the present-day regions of Italy preserve the use of the vexillum; these are among the few instances of such usage in modern times.

See also

• Vexillology, or the study of flags, which derives its name from this word.
• Vexilla Regis, early Christian hymn whose first line uses this word.
• Vexilla, a genus of snail.

External links

• The Cisalpina Historical Reenactment Group Web Site.
• The Roman Hideout