Rome

The civil flag of Rome (Italian: Roma), the capital of Italy, is an equal vertical bicolor of a dark red-violet on the left and an ochre gold on the right.
==Symbolism==
Gold and red have been the colors of Rome for a while, also known for being the colors of the Roman Empire vexillum. The previous state flag of Rome until 2004 was a red and gold banner, similiar to the current civil flag, but with the coat of arms in the center.
== History ==
Since the Middle Ages, the city of Rome has used a red-violet banner featuring a yellow (golden) Greek cross near the top-right corner. To its right, the yellow (golden) letters "SPQR" (an abbreviation for Senatus Populusque Romanus, meaning "The Roman Senate and People") were arranged diagonally from the top-left to the bottom-right corner.
The modern flag design, with its red and yellow vertical stripes, is believed to have been introduced in 1870, the year Rome was incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy. In 1884, the city officially adopted its coat of arms, which was then included on the state flag variant. This design was inspired by a 14th-century wall carving—the earliest known depiction of the city’s coat of arms. The coat of arms featured a red-violet oval displaying the yellow (golden) Greek cross in the top-left and the diagonal yellow (golden) letters "SPQR" to its right. The oval was framed by a yellow (golden) Baroque-style escutcheon with a scroll-eared top and lobed base, topped by a yellow (golden) open crown with five flowers and embedded jewels. On August 26, 1927, "Senatus Populusque Romanus" (SPQR) was officially adopted as the city’s motto.
This coat of arms was used from 1884 until 2004, when it was replaced by a simplified design. The updated version features a red Heater-style escutcheon (shield) with a square top and pointed base, which began to appear on the civil flag.Capitale e città principali on digilander.libero.it
Until 2004, the flag typically displayed the Baroque-style coat of arms at its center, with a scroll frame and floral crown, though variations existed. It was prominently displayed on the Palazzo Senatorio, the official seat of Rome’s municipality in Piazza del Campidoglio. Some flags even featured more elaborate designs inspired by sculptural representations.
==References==
Category:Italy
Category:Proportions 2-3
Category:Italian Cities
Category:Capital Cities
Category:Red
Category:Gold
Category:Bicolour
Category:Vertical bicolour