In ancient Rome, the fasces were a bundle of wooden rods bound with a leather cord, in which an axe was placed--in essence, a mobile kit for corporal or capital punishment. This book is the first attempt to explain in detail precisely how the ancient Romans made a familiar and highly effective spectacle of the fasces, and then how later generations understood, used, and abused this symbol. This work is certainly of interest to any serious student of ancient Roman history or the reception of ancient Roman symbology in the modern world...It is definitely a valuable work and its relevance in modern political discourse only helps to highlight the value of understanding the history of this ancient symbol.