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Why did the Emperor chose this sing as a symbol for the Imperium.
I think it is awesome, but still - why?

And why Imperials also using sculls as their sing?
Some logic or just to look grimdark?

if you look at the Aquilla's heads the left one can see and the right one is blindfolded. This is the Imperiums symbol because it means that we should not forget the past and we are blind to the future. Also look at its talons the one on the left side symoblizes the golden age of the imperium, the right claw represnts war.

It's called the 'Aquila'. It was a symbol used by Imperial Rome.

The symbol, specifically here, is explained as a twofold thing. Notice that the eagle head looking to the left has an eye?

Yeah. It's to show the Imperium, seeing the present and past--but blind to the future.

They use a lot of skull motifs because "Only in Death Does Duty End".

Essentially because the Eagle has been the image of might and justice in history, two headed I guess because it has something to do with it seeing into the past and future, just like Kairos Fateweaver JUST AS PLANNED!

Skulls simply because they look cool and grimdarky.

Also You can look towards the Holy Roman Empire then look at the rest of the style of the game and similarites start to arise also look at its symbol its a twin headed eagle.

it's 'Holy'.

'Holly' is a plant and a proper name.

Kanluwen wrote:It's called the 'Aquila'. It was a symbol used by Imperial Rome.

The symbol, specifically here, is explained as a twofold thing. Notice that the eagle head looking to the left has an eye?

Yeah. It's to show the Imperium, seeing the present and past--but blind to the future.

Really? I heard one more story for they eye. That the eagle head without the eye represent Human past and dark times, and how we should never lookk apon them again. And the other one represent the future and that we should always look brightly into the future.

They use a lot of skull motifs because "Only in Death Does Duty End".

Thanks Kal, I also heard that one part of the Eagle represent Imperium of Man, and the other part Adeptus Mechanicus.
And that when the followers of the Emperor see Aquila, they are acting like today's Christians. They put their hand on their forehead, left and right arm and abdomen, like Christians when they are crossing ( don't know how to spell it ).

Actually, they put their hands across their chest with thumbs hooking together so it forms the aquila.

There's nothing that has them 'crossing themselves'.

It's a reference by GW to the Byzantine Empire:



Byzantium had that Classical Gothic/Latin feel, was heavily religious, surrounded by enemies, had an Emperor (though one not worshiped as God), that feel of a crumbling civilization that is in a shadow of its golden age, etc.. I think the main influence for the Imperium comes from them.

I agree - people get so caught up in the "Gothic" aspect of 40k they generally don't see the refrences to late antiquity/ the middle ages from a Byzantine perspective, which generally matches up quite well with the IoM.

The Imperial Aquila appeared after the Treaty of Mars, which saw the alliance between the AdMech and the Emperor of Terra. This is also what its two heads represent: one head represent the IoM, the other one represents the AdMech.

Oh, and for the mechanicus, it's half human, half cogwheel. In fact, that's actually the symbol for one of their most revered augmentations, too...

The skull motif, most commonly found in IG regalia, represents either the uncounted martyrs of the Imperium or, specifically, the Emperor's own martyrdom/ascension to the Golden Throne. Even when not used in an IG context, the majority of Imperial organizations that make use of this device are making a reference to this "martyr" concept.

The Imperium is built on the blood of martyrs...

Crusading cultures who wan't to own the world they inhabit often use the symbol. Nazi Germany, the Roman empire. I do't l know why, chance I suppose.

I can vouch for the blind-to-the-future answer, also for the bi-headed Mechanicum-Big E empire one.

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Aquila

It also lists about how to make the sign of the aquila across your chest. But it claims that their is debate on the topic.

I know how cortez has a familiar-like eagle, but I can't find anything on that.

I'm a lex yes-man.

Some of these explanations are really clever. I never noticed the difference between the claws though.

Me neither.

purplefood wrote:The seed of the Imperium is built on the blood of martyrs...

Quote it right, you wretch!

Brother Coa wrote:
Thanks Kal, I also heard that one part of the Eagle represent Imperium of Man, and the other part Adeptus Mechanicus.
And that when the followers of the Emperor see Aquila, they are acting like today's Catholics. They put their hand on their forehead, left and right arm and abdomen, like Catholics when they are crossing ( don't know how to spell it ).

fixed that for ya, Protastants don't do the the sign of the cross.

The double headed eagle is a fairly common thing in heraldry. Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Russian Empire/Federation all use double headed eagles as a symbole.

Howeve, given that the Emperor came from Anatolia there is a fair chance that, at some point, he held a position of power within the Byzantine Empire, and the Aquila could be a repurpousment of the old Byzantine symbol, but instead of symbolizing an empire looking both east and west, it represented many things.

As some have pointed out, it represents the union of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Imperium of Man.
It also represents humanity looking out onto the past, but blind to the future.

It's entirerly possible the Aquila represents many, many things...which is probably why it's become such a ubiquitous symbol.

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:The CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT Imperium is built on the blood of CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT...

Quote it right, you wretch!

Eventually people will learn...
Until then CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT abides...

IIRC in HH The Eagle represented them being blind to the past and looking to the future but definately seams to have been switched around now which is appropriate.

purplefood wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:The CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT Imperium is built on the blood of CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT...

Quote it right, you wretch!

Eventually people will learn...
Until then CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT abides...

You Fool! *backhands*

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSUALT TRANSPORTS don't bleed!

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:The CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT Imperium is built on the blood of CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT...

Quote it right, you wretch!

Eventually people will learn...
Until then CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT abides...

You Fool! *backhands*

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSUALT TRANSPORTS don't bleed!

But what if we fill it with blood. Everywhere.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I feel the taint of Chaos crawling under my skin...

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT FOR THE CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT GOD!

I forgot the "looking toward past/future" idea. But, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader says 1) The head with an eye is the Adeptus Astra Telepatica, 2) The blind head is the Adeptus Astronomica, 3) The right wing is the Adeptus Mechanicus, 4) The left wing is blank (I would assume Adeptus Astartes, 5) The left talon is the Adeptus Custodes, 6) The right talon is the Adeptus Arbites, 7) The tail is the Administratum.

Page 141: The Age of the Imperium

DeffDred wrote:I forgot the "looking toward past/future" idea. But, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader says 1) The head with an eye is the Adeptus Astra Telepatica, 2) The blind head is the Adeptus Astronomica, 3) The right wing is the Adeptus Mechanicus, 4) The left wing is blank (I would assume Adeptus Astartes, 5) The left talon is the Adeptus Custodes, 6) The right talon is the Adeptus Arbites, 7) The tail is the Administratum.

Page 141: The Age of the Imperium

This is what i remember.

Malivon wrote:if you look at the Aquilla's heads the left one can see and the right one is blindfolded. This is the Imperiums symbol because it means that we should not forget the past and we are blind to the future. Also look at its talons the one on the left side symoblizes the golden age of the imperium, the right claw represnts war.

Where did you find this information from???

Shadelkan wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:

Emperors Faithful wrote:

purplefood wrote:The CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT Imperium is built on the blood of CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT...

Quote it right, you wretch!

Eventually people will learn...
Until then CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT abides...

You Fool! *backhands*

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSUALT TRANSPORTS don't bleed!

But what if we fill it with blood. Everywhere.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I feel the taint of Chaos crawling under my skin...

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT FOR THE CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT GOD!

Genius. It's Heresy of course, vile, disgusting heresy. But also genius.

Emperors Faithful wrote:

Shadelkan wrote:

But what if we fill it with blood. Everywhere.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I feel the taint of Chaos crawling under my skin...

CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT FOR THE CRASSUS ARMOURED ASSAULT TRANSPORT GOD!

Genius. It's Heresy of course, vile, disgusting heresy. But also genius.

So is fighting Chaos for the Imperium apparently (See: First Armageddon War).

i never knew that about the blindfold or the talons, that is sweet!