The Red Dragon Of Wales – Ancient Symbol Dating Back To Roman Times

Conny Waters - AncientPages.com - The red dragon on the national flag of Wales is most often associated with the battle standard of King Arthur and other ancient Celtic leaders.

However, the Red Dragon of Wales dates back to Roman times. It was a Roman symbol cavalry units carried on their flags. The banners were used both to serve as markers on which the riders formed into different formations and to give orders using vigorous waving.

Flag of Wales

The Roman dragon was made of metal and had a head with an open mouth. The animal’s body was made of a tube of fabric, rather like a modern wind sock.

Following the fall of Rome, British princes continued to use Roman-style dracos as battle standards. The British military adopted many aspects of Roman military gear, including the red dragon.

The British army's last recorded use of the Draco was in about 1250, after which the red dragon of Wales began to be embroidered onto a flag as if it were a heraldic device. The green and white background, incidentally, comes from the family colors of the Tudor dynasty and was added in 1959.

Coat of arms of Henry VII, showing a Welsh Dragon as a supporter on the Royal arms of England. Credit: Wikipedia

Henry Tudor flew the red dragon of Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon as his banner, overlaid on a green and white field representing the Tudor House when he marched through Wales on his way to Bosworth Field. After the battle, the flag was carried in state to St. Paul's Cathedral to be blessed.

Updated on June 5, 2024

Written by Conny Waters - AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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