- "In hoc signo vinces (In this sign, conquer)."
- ―An Abstergo Industries executive, on the Templar's insignia, 2012.[src]
The Templar insignia
The Templar insignia, based on the mark of Cain, is the symbol of the Templar Order. It consists of a red cross pattée. Because of this, it is often called the Red Cross, or simply the Cross.
History
Prehistory
The Children of Cain, the earliest known incarnation of the Knights Templar, used Cain's brand mark as their insignia after it was given to him as punishment for killing Abel.[1]
Ptolemaic Egypt
The Order of the Ancients used an ankh version of the Mark of Cain accompanying a serpent wearing the double crown as their insignia.[2]
High Middle Ages
During the High Middle Ages, the Knights Templar were a fully public order, and their soldiers wore the insignia freely on their uniforms.[3]
Renaissance
By the time of the Renaissance, in Italy, the Templars had gone into hiding and adopted more secretive tactics. As a result, their insignia was no longer displayed publicly, but was instead used only on relatively innocuous items, such as rings.[4]
American Revolution
During the American Revolution, the Templars remained a secretive organization, and as such the tradition of displaying their insignia on relatively small and inconspicuous items continued.[5]
Industrial Revolution
During the Industrial Revolution, the Templars once more displayed the insignia in public in the form of the logo for Crawford Starrick's corporations and his associates such as the Blighters gang. The high ranking Templars wore the insignia in the form of mantels and arm bands.[6]
Modern times
By the modern era, the Templars had largely removed themselves from the public eye completely; only certain members of Inner Sanctum of the Templar Order wore rings with the insignia displayed on them, even when amongst their brethren.[7]
Renditions
References
