The Flag of Italy - Description of the Italian Flag
As the above picture of the Italian Flag indicates a tricolor of Red, White and Green
The description of the Italian Flag is as follows:
Three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red
According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Italian flag represent the following:
White - peace and honesty
Red - hardiness, bravery, strength & valour
Green - hope, joy and love and in many cultures have a sacred significance
All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Italian flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the height )
The Meaning & History of the Italian Flag - The Italian flag was inspired by a flag brought to Italy by the Emperor Napoleon
Flag Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the Flag Quiz
Flag History & Evolution:
The idea of flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and the battlefield
Shields were painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying a pole was adopted
An emblem such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the pole for identification
The emblems were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats of Arms were born
These emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and creating a modern flag
Italian Flag Etiquette
Italian Flag etiquette is very strict and is is essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag Etiquette applies to all nations, including Italian as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of precedence for the flag
National Flag of Italian
State Flag of Italian
Military Flag of Italian (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of Italian
The United Nations uses alphabetical order when presenting a national flag including the Italian Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's flag
The National flag of Italian should never be flown above another national flag on the same staff as this would suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or Nation, over another
The Italian flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of Italian should be removed and replaced with a new flag
Due care and consideration must be taken to ensure that the Italian flag is always flown the correct way up
A Flag of Italian, when in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Italian Flag display
Hoist - the act or function of raising the Italian flag, as on a rope
Half Staff or Half Mast - the Italian flag is hoisted to half of the potential height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed by first raising the Italian flag to the top, then lowering the Italian Flag halfway
Distress - denoted by flying the Italian flag upside-down
Manner of hoisting - The Italian flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously
No disrespect should be shown to the Italian flag
The Italian flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way
The Italian flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The Italian flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Italian Flag usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding Italian Flag Etiquette has provided a useful resource
Italy
Location:
Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia
Italian Land Size : 294,020 sq km
Italian Climate / Weather : predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south
Italian Population : 58,057,477 (July 2004 est.)
Former Name(s) : Kingdom of Italy
Italian Capital City: Rome
Italian GDP: $1.552 trillion (2003 est.)
Italian Main Industries : tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics
Italian Agricultural products : fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish
Italian Currency : euro (EUR)
Main Colors of the Italian Flag : Red, White and Green
Concise History of the Ancient Italian History and the Roman Empire
10,000BC Upper Paleolithic (the Old Stone Age) period
5000 - 3000BC Neolithic (New Stone Age) period
3000BC - 1000BC Bronze Age period
600BC - The Etruscans, natives of Asia Minor, establish cities from northern to central Italy
282-272BC War with Pyrrhus
264-241BC War with Carthage (First Punic War)
218BC Hannibal invades Italy
135-132BC First Servile War (slave revolt)
73 - 71 B.C Slave uprising led by Spartacus
64BC Pompey captures Jerusalem
45BC Julius Caesar defeats Pompey and became the first dictator of Rome
44BC Julius Caesar assassinated
44-31BC The Triumvirate of Marc Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian (later known as Caesar Augustus) rule Rome
31 BC - Antony and Cleopatra are defeated by Octavian
31BC-14AD Octavian becomes Caesar Augustus, the first Roman emperor
27 BC - 14 AD Augustus becomes Emperor 14 - 37AD Tiberius, stepson of Caesar Augustus, becomes emperor
33AD Crucifixion of Jesus and the origin of Christianity
37 - 41 Gaius (Caligula) crowned Emperor 41 - 54 Claudius proclaimed Emperor
54 - 68 Nero proclaimed Emperor
64AD Fire destroyed much of Rome during Nero's rule
68AD The death of Nero ended the infamous Julio-Claudian dynasty
75-80 The Roman emperors build the Colosseum as a place of gladiatorial combat
180AD Commodius succeeds his father Marcus Aurelius and imperial power begins to decline
305AD Constantine became the first Christian emperor
380 Christianity is declared the sole religion of the Roman Empire by Theodosius I
410AD The Visigoths, led by Alaric, sack Rome
455AD The Vandals, led by Gaiseric, sack Rome
476 AD The last Roman Emperor was Romulus Augustulus who was defeated by Odoacer, a German Goth
Concise Italian History & its Flag
485 Italy was invaded by Attila the Hun. Pope Leo I dissuaded Attila from sacking Rome
568 The Lombards, a Germanic tribe, invade Italy which is divided into three regions ruled by the Lombards, the Eastern Roman Empire and the Papal States5
553 The old Roman Empire was reunited by Justinian, the Byzantine emperor
572 The Byzantine rule collapses after an attack by the Lombards
756 Pepin the Short, a Frankish King conquers the Lombards for the popes
756 The Papal States were established in central Italy
774 The Lombards defeated by Charlemagne
800 Charlemagne crowned Roman emperor
962 Otto the Great, the king of Germany, was crowned emperor establishing the Holy Roman Empire
1000s - 1400's Independent city-states are established
1519 Charles I of Spain became Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire
1700s Spanish rule passed to Austrian rule
1789 The French Revolution
1796 Napoleon defeated the Austrian rulers
1804 Napoleon declared himself the emperor of Italy
1814 Napoleon abdicated his throne and Italy was broken up into small kingdoms
1820s-1850s Small revolutions in the kingdoms - Venice, Rome and Tuscany declare themselves Republics
1849 Austria regains control of most of Italy
1860 Northern Italy was joined to the Kingdom of Sardinia
1861 The Kingdom of Italy was formed under the leadership of Giuseppe Garibaldi
1861 Victor Emmanuel II crowned king
1911 Italy defeats the Ottoman Empire
1914 World War I
1915 Italy joins the war on the side of the Allies
1918 The Allies win WW1
28 October 1922 The Fascists named Benito Mussolini the Prime Minister of Italy
1925 Benito Mussolini becomes the dictator of Italy
1936 Mussolini and Hitler sign an agreement known as the Roman-Berlin Axis
1939 Italy conquers Albania and Mussolini sides with Hitler and Fascist Germany
8 September 1943 Italy surrenders to the Allies in WW II
13 October 1943 Italy declares war on Germany
1945 Mussolini was shot
August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
1945 End of WW11
10 June 1946 Italy abolishes the monarchy and establishes a republic
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The Italian Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding the Italian Flag and Country has provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
