During the rule of the Roman Empire the fascia, a bundle of sticks surrounding a spear, bound together with twine, was the symbol of the power of the Caesars. Any time the Roman Empire went to war, the fascia accompanied the army. The spear represented the might of the Roman military which would be deployed to defeat all external enemies. The sticks represented the internal power that the Empire would use to beat her citizens into submission to Roman law.  read more »