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I was wondering if the double headed eagle is the symbol of the imperium of man or the index astartes as a whole.
if it is the symbol for the imperium then does the Index Astartes have a common badge?

Just the Imperium I believe. I don't know about the Adeptus Astartes, however.

When you say Index Astartes, do you mean the ADEPTUS Astartes? (The Space Marines)

Index Astartes was just the name of the series of books that detailed them, and presumably the name of the fluff scroll that lists all the existing chapters.

The Imperial Aquila (the two-headed eagle) is the symbol of the Imperium. The whole Imperium, and every part of it.

I don't think there is a specific symbol for all the Space Marine chapters (the Adeptus Astartes)

The two-headed eagle is the Emperor's own symbol. Originally it was reserved only for the Emperor's Children's personal heraldry as a point of great honor amongst the Astartes, but the Imperial Army at large had it plastered all over everything.

So yes, it is indeed available to all Imperial forces, although is seen more rarely amongst the Marines (Chaplain Crozius, for example).

Simple rule of Heraldry:

Emperors get double headed eagles
Kings only normal (one-headed) eagles.

so double headed eagles are always a sign of an emperor/imperium.

The 40k aqulia was said to show your allegiance in the heresy,before that only the emperor and his custodes wore him.
The emperors children received te honor to wield an aquila (but most of them not deserved it as shown later).

ArbitorIan wrote:When you say Index Astartes, do you mean the ADEPTUS Astartes? (The Space Marines)

indeed i did arbitor, thanks.

thanks all... i was curious because i am tinkering with ideas for an army i've been kicking around in my head.

It always sort of bothered my that there was no symbol for the Astartes,.

and the winged skull is the symbol for the IG

The Space Marine symbol is an angel holding some sort of weaponry, usually a bolter. That's why they're called angels of death.