What is a Phrygian cap? This is the so-called cap of freedom. It looks like a pin-shaped soft cap tapering upwards. The top of the model falls to the side of the forehead. The bottom edges expand to cover the person's ears.
In ancient times, the subjects of Midas, the famous Phrygian king, put on the Phrygian cap. Slaves who wore such a headdress received freedom.
The Phrygian cap is a symbol of France and not only
The rounded red cap got its name in honor of the region in Asia Minor - Phrygia. The Phrygian cap was worn by the tribes inhabiting Dalmatia, Dacia, Thrace. They also wore it in ancient Rome. A cap was made of wool, fur or felt. In Greece, all free commoners wore a hat.
When Caesar was killed, the image of a cap between two blades appeared on the coin of Brutus. The same symbol was repeated after the assassination of Giuliano de' Medici on the medal of Lorenzaccio. In Rome, a cap raised on a staff served as a kind of sign for the slaves. There are also such images in some scenes on the world-famous Trajan's Column. The Scythians and Cimmerians also wore similar headdresses. Scythian goldenthe hryvnia is a direct proof of this.
A little more history
But why then is it considered that the Phrygian cap is a symbol of France? The thing is that during the French Revolution they wore a pili (hat), it was very often identified with this headdress.
By the way, the cap didn't have to be red at all. Why he acquired this particular color is not exactly known. Most likely, this coloring is a symbol of the revolution. However, the headdress was not immediately recognized as a symbol.
In March 1972, a letter condemning the wearing of a red cap was read by the Mayor of Paris. In June of the same year, the ban was again recalled. Although the next day, during the capture of the Tuileries, the king himself put on a red cap, which was served to him at the peak.
The famous painting by Delacroix en titled "Liberty at the Barricades" depicts the events of the 1830 revolution. On her cap flaunts on the head of Freedom. The national symbol of France is Marianne - a girl in this headdress.
Today
Today, the Phrygian cap is a symbolism found in France, on the coins of the United States of America (50 cents, dollar, etc.), on the emblems of Colombia, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, Argentina. And if earlier such a headdress was decorated with images of Aeneas, Paris and other Trojan heroes, today it is just a bright red felt hat with the end hanging forward.
By the way, before the French Revolution, the cap was found on the heads of sailors and convicts ongalleys. Already after the capture of the Bastille, the headdress gained immense popularity among the whole people. A soft hat, as a rule, was decorated with a national cockade.
In a word, the Phrygian cap for different nations in many countries represents revolution and freedom. This symbol has been known all over the world for a long time, and its meaning is quite difficult to surprise anyone.
In anatomy
But that's not all. In medicine, there is also such a thing as a Phrygian cap. The gallbladder in this case (more precisely, its bottom) is partially or completely separated from the body by a kind of partition (fold). Clinically, this anomaly does not manifest itself in any way. This problem occurs in ten to twenty percent of people. However, it does not cause any particular inconvenience.
What are people saying?
It is worth noting that the saw is still not a Phrygian cap. The helmet is nevertheless very similar to this headgear. Therefore, during the French Revolution, people often confused them with each other. The cap is much softer than the pilea. It was he who was part of the outfits of Asian heroes who came to the newborn Christ of the Magi or Paris.
When the cap was recognized as the universally accepted symbol of the revolution, people reacted to it in completely different ways. It would seem that the headdress is a symbol of freedom. But at the same time, wearing it was condemned. Some even called the cap a revolutionary parody, that is, a mockery of a still recent shrine. Just as the pseudo-crowns decorate the heads of clowns and parsleys. Of course the bestit would be difficult to come up with a symbol of freedom than a symbol of recent power, put on someone else’s head at the instigation of someone else.
Finally
So, it remains to sum up. A striking well-known attribute of freedom fighters is the Phrygian cap. The photo of the headdress clearly shows that this thing is really catchy and noticeable. In the same way, after all, such an event as the “evaporation” of the power of the kings-princes-electors could not go unnoticed. At that moment, such slogans as “A person has a right” or “Freedom-fraternity-equality” sounded everywhere.
The red cap is the most common symbol of people's struggle for their rights. It is assimilated on both sides of the Atlantic. The headdress proudly crowns Marianne's head, the flag of the state of New York and the emblem of the US Department of the Army.
In ancient Rome, freed slaves who managed to obtain local citizenship wore similar hats. But still, the main role in the considerable popularity of the cap was played by Mark Junius Brutus, who killed Caesar. Thus, he created the so-called logo of the overthrow of the evil tyrant. The cap was minted on coins produced by the killer. They also, in particular, performed propaganda functions.
Revolutionaries fell in love with the cap, of course, very quickly. In many ways, this was influenced by such a widespread cult of Brutus in those days. During the terror, people often even changed their Christian names to more revolutionary ones (Germinal, Marat, Brutus). At the same time, the headdress began to be used as an unofficial attribute in the Jacobin administrations. In 1831the cap has already appeared on the seal of the Senate. On it, Liberty held him on a pole.
Today, the cap is no less common than in ancient times. For example, in Brittany in 2013 there were large demonstrations against the introduction of an environmental tax. The demonstrators walked the streets in colorful headdresses. The movement itself was called the Red Caps. And there are actually quite a few such examples.
In a word, the red cap is a symbol of revolutionaries, known all over the world. The headdress has a bright history and a remarkable appearance. The Liberty Cap has gained immense popularity among people who want to stand up for their rights over the years since its inception, which, in fact, is not surprising.
