''Invicta'' is a
Latin word meaning undefeated or unconquered. It has been used in mottoes like ''
Roma invicta
''Roma invicta'' is a Latin phrase, meaning "unconquered Rome". It was an inspirational motto used until the Fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. This symbolic statement was later printed onto gold coins.
See also
* Roman Empire
...
'' (Latin for "Unconquered Rome"), and it is the motto of the county of
Kent,
England.
Theories of origin
"''Invicta''" has been a motto for centuries. ''Roma invicta'' is a Latin phrase, meaning "Unconquered Rome", inscribed on a statue in Rome. It was an inspirational motto used until the
fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD. This symbolic statement was later printed onto gold coins, to help boost the morale of the failing Empire.
For Kent, it dates back to the invasion of England by
William the Conqueror. As the official motto, it appears on the
coat of arms of
Kent County Council.
Legend has it that, while marching from the 1066
battle site at
Hastings, William marched on to London on his way to the (then) capital
Winchester. While passing through
Kent, the local people picked up branches and marched at William's men. Scared, William and his army took flight and took a different route to London. As the people of Kent felt that they had chased William away, they adopted "''Invicta''" as a county motto.
A different version of the legend above is depicted on a monument at
Swanscombe, where legend states this meeting took place on the Old Roman Road to London (
Watling Street). The monument, sculpted by
Hilary Stratton
Hilary Byfield Stratton FRBS (29 June 1906 – 20 May 1985) was an English sculptor, stonemason and teacher working in the 20th Century. He is best known for his stone carvings and memorials but experimented in other media that included: persp ...
and unveiled in 1958, was moved in the early 1960s due to the construction of the
A2 dual carriageway. It is now located in the churchyard of St Peter and St Paul's Church in Swanscombe, where the picture (right) was taken.
The monument states that:
Near this spot by ancient tradition the men of Kent and Kentish men carrying boughs on their shoulders and swords in their hands met the invader William Duke of Normandy. They offered peace if he would grant their ancient rights and liberties otherwise war and that most deadly. Their request was granted and from that day the motto of Kent has been INVICTA meaning Unconquered.
Its origin has also been said to have been because Dover was not besieged or defeated on William's march through Kent, but instead agreed to a
conditional surrender
Surrender, in military terms, is the relinquishment of control over territory, combatants, fortifications, ships or armament to another power. A surrender may be accomplished peacefully or it may be the result of defeat in battle. A soverei ...
to him, on its own terms, and was therefore not conquered by him. Holding of land in Kent by
gavelkind, rather than the feudal-Norman laws of
primogeniture, lasted until the early 20th century suggesting that the people of the county did indeed acquire some concessions from the Conqueror.
Local influences
As the motto of the county, "''Invicta''" is now a frequently used term within Kent.
Other uses
"''Cidade Invicta''" ("Unvanquished City") is coined of the city of
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
, Portugal. It was earned during the Napoleonic invasions in the 19th century.
See also
*
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
*
Flag of Kent
The Flag of Kent is the flag of the English county of Kent. It features the white horse of Kent on a red background, a theme used in several other Kent related coats of arms and logos or symbols. It is sometimes referred to as the Invicta Fla ...
, sometimes referred to as the "Invicta Flag"
*
White horse of Kent, a symbol closely associated with Kent, sometimes referred to as "Invicta"
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Invicta (Motto)
Kent
Latin mottos