Civic Crown

The Civic Crown (Latin: corona civica) was a military decoration during the Roman Republic and the subsequent Roman Empire, given to Romans who saved the lives of fellow citizens. It was regarded as the second highest decoration to which a citizen could aspire (the Grass Crown being held in higher regard). It took the form of a chaplet of common oak leaves woven to form a crown. It was reserved for Roman citizens who saved the lives of fellow citizens by slaying an enemy on a spot held by the enemy that same day. The citizen saved must admit it; no one else could be a witness.

It consisted of a wreath of oak leaves (quercea) and was awarded to a Roman citizen (civis) who saved the life of a fellow citizen in battle, killed the enemy, took their armor, and was able to take the place of the rescued person. The wreath can only be worn with the testimony of the rescued person himself/herself. In early Republican times, it was made from holm oak (Quercus ilex) leaves, but over time, it was increasingly made from pedunculate oak (Quercus pendunculata) branches.

The corona civica was associated with special privileges. For example, the holder sat with the senators at public games, and everyone had to rise upon his entry.

History

After Sulla's constitutional reforms, any recipient of the Civic Crown was entitled entry into the Roman Senate.Furthermore, the recipient was required by law to wear his crown at every public gathering, and was applauded even by men much senior to himself. It later became a prerogative for Roman emperors to be awarded the Civic Crown (originating with Augustus, who was awarded it for saving the lives of citizens by ending the series of civil wars).

Pliny wrote about the Civic Crown at some length in Naturalis Historia:

Nor is the same honour any greater if the rescued person is a general, because the founders of this institution wished the honour to be supreme in the case of any citizen. The receiver of the wreath may wear it for the rest of his life; when he appears at the games it is the custom for even the senate always to rise at his entrance, and he has the right to sit next to the senators; and he himself and his father and his paternal grandfather are exempt from all public duties. Siccius Dentatus, as we have mentioned at the proper place, won fourteen Civic Wreaths, and Capitolinus six, one in his case being actually for saving the life of his commanding officer Servilius. Scipio Africanus refused to accept a wreath for rescuing his father at the Trebbia. How worthy of eternity is a national character that rewarded exploits so distinguished with honour only, and whereas it enhanced the value of its other wreaths with gold, refused to allow the rescue of a citizen to be a thing of price, thus loudly proclaiming that it is wrong even to save the life of a human being for the sake of gain!

Julius Caesar was awarded the Civic Crown for his service in the Siege of Mytilene in 81 BC.

Significance for the Roman Empire

Gaius Julius Caesar was awarded the civic crown, as was Augustus, who in 27 BC had one hung over the entrance to his house as a mark of honor. From that time on, the civic crown became an insignia of imperial dignity. To avoid resemblance to Jupiter 's Corona Etrusca, the corona civica worn by emperors was probably not made of solid gold. Instead, the oak leaves were apparently simply adorned with gold ornaments and jewels (see also Corona triumphalis).

Reception

In later times, the civic crown was a city's distinction at universities and academies. During the French Revolution, for example, Théroigne de Méricourt was honored with the "civic crown" for her special services. In modern heraldry, the term "civic crown" refers to the mural crown. 

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