A standard-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem called a standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honoured) as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.
This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour (especially on parade), or a permanent charge (also on the battlefield); the second type has even led in certain cases to this task being reflected in official rank titles such as Ensign, Cornet and Fähnrich.
Many terms exist, often specifying the type of standard borne (in various cases named in parentheses after the bearer).
In antiquity
Pre-hellenistic
- Pharaonic nome-emblems (many also the name of such province)
Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine
- Aetos
- Aquilifer (Aquila)
- Bandifer (Bandum)
- Discens aquilifer(or)um, - signiferorum : trainee
- Draconarius (Draco, 'dragon) - one of them could be selected Optio Draconarius; ... Bearcus Draconarius ...
- Imaginifer (Imago) ?5 original images : Aper = boar, Equus = horse, Minotaur(us), Tabula ansata: winged boar, Taurus = bull ...
- Ornithoboros
- Semeiphoros (Semeion)
- Signifer (Signum) - one of them could be selected as Signifer princeps
- Tablifer - guards cavalry (?Tabula ansata : winged boar)
- Vexillarius (Vexillum)
Cfr. also :
- Adiutor signorum
- Aedes
- Antesignanus
- Aquilae natalis
- Deposita ad signa
- Labarum
- Postsignanus
- Vexillatio
Medieval
- French porte Oriflamme
- Serbian veliki vojvoda, stegonoša, known in Latin as vexillifer (modern term zastavnik)
- Polish Chorąży', now military grade coded by NATO with OR-8 and group of warrant officers from OR-7 to OR-9
- Scottish Bearer of the Royal Banner, first granted in 1298
- Scottish Bearer of the National Flag, first granted in 1676
- Montenegrin and Northern Albanian barjaktar, 19th century
- Italian gonfaloniere (gonfalon) / Gonfaloniere of Justice (in Florence)
- Ottoman sancaktar, bajraktar
- Portuguese alferes-mor, from the 12th to the early 20th century
Modern
- Calvin Pearl Titus, the last American standard bearer and a Medal of Honor recipient
- Prince Henry Sixtus of Borbon Parma is considered by many Carlists to be the Standard Bearer of tradition.
Olympic
- Flagbearer at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games is the athlete who carries the flag for their country.
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