Bundles of rods carried by lictors as symbols of a magistrate’s coercive authority.
Overview
The fasces represented the power of magistrates who held imperium. Rods symbolised corporal punishment, while the axe—normally displayed outside the civic boundary—represented capital authority.
Why It Matters
Their number and form communicated rank, place, and constitutional status. They were therefore a visible language of Roman power.
In Roman Practice
Lictors carrying the fasces preceded consuls, praetors, and dictators. Within Rome, the removal of axes reflected limitations on a magistrate’s power over citizens.