What does the Latin acronym SPQR mean?
What does the Latin acronym SPQR mean? How many times have you happened to see this writing? In tHow many times have you happened to see this writing? In the base of a statue, on a wall in Rome, in a mosaic, in a manhole. Or revisited, in modern times, to talk about what was the Roman greatness, as for example in the coat of arms of the city of Rome.
SPQR (from the Latin Senatvs PopvlvsQve Romanvs – the Senate and the Roman People) is an abbreviation that contains the figures that represent the power of the ancient Roman Republic: the Senate and the people, the patricians and plebeians who were the foundation of the Roman state. The SPQR acronym is still the coat of arms of the city of Rome today.
The abbreviation SPQR was constantly used even after that date that we moderns have conventionally assumed, 476, to indicate the end of the government of Rome.
Throughout the early Middle Ages, although in decline, Rome continued to be the most populous city in the West, and to function, at least formally, as the capital of the renewed medieval Roman empire founded by Charlemagne. In the reverse of the seal of Frederick Barbarossa there was still the inscription:
“Roma caput mundi regit orbis frena rotundi”, that is, Rome, capital of the world, holds the reins of the round orb. In the late Middle Ages, when Rome was organized into a free Municipality of Popolo, the abbreviation S.P.Q.R. The Municipality, then presented itself as the legitimate successor of the power of ancient Rome, and the red shield with the initials S.P.Q.R. golden, its symbol, went to mean “Healed. People. Qumune. Roman.”.
The acronym was constantly used even during the Fascist period. In fact, Mussolini loved to compare the greatness of Italy and of the new colonial possessions to those of Imperial Rome. Hence the use of the word SPQR in many fascist propaganda posters.
The use of the acronym has also reached the present day, more or less jokingly. The comic book character Obelix, created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, often humorously interprets the theme song as These Romans Are Crazy!
The idea is not of the French authors, but of the Italian translator Marcello Marchesi, who thought of rendering the original sentence Ils sont fous ces Romains in this way. Roma in the 2016-17 season for the heartfelt return derby with Lazio used a special shirt with the writing in question. A choice that did not please the Biancoceleste company. The writing did not bring luck to the Giallorossi who were defeated 3-1 by Lazio, with goals from Keita, brace, and Basta. De Rossi scored the Roma goal on a penalty.
